Shootout Update

One week ago Friday, a shootout was starting up in West Odessa that would last for 22 hours. Victor White is the man responsible, and he is currently being held in the Midland County Detention Center. But there are still a lot of questions that have been left unanswered.

DPS Trooper John Barton held a news conference on Friday to update everyone on the investigation, and to try and squelch some of the rumors about the shootout. Even though the investigation isn't over, many of the questions have been answered.

It all started because of a pumping unit on Whites land that belongs to an oil company. Barton says that unit was at the center of an ongoing dispute, and that's why Ector County Sheriff's Deputies paid a visit to white last Friday...supporting a representative from the oil company.

"So essentially when the sheriffs office showed up to the location, it was just a matter of a few words being exchanged. 15 maybe 20 seconds, and then that's when Victor White fired on the deputy and the civilian," Barton said.

Those first shots would mark the beginning of a 22-hour shootout with law enforcement agencies from across the state...one that left two deputies and a civilian injured. Three DPS helicopters and three armored vehicles were brought in. Finally, on Saturday afternoon...it was all over.

"It was shortly after the house was on fire they saw him walking down the road with his hands up, and that's when they got him down in the felony position and cuffed him and secured the area," Barton said.

Since then, the Texas Rangers have been searching Whites property, piecing together exactly what happened.

"There were a lot of rumors out there and I want to dispel some of the rumors. One of those was people believed he'd had improvised explosive devices, grenades, things like that. There were no such items of any of those located at that crime scene," Barton said.

What they did find were his weapons: a high-powered rifle and some shotguns. Originally we heard there might have been multiple shooters, but it was actually just White...constantly on the move.

"He did have four or five positions, but those four or five positions weren't booby trapped in anyway. They did have EOD go through and clear the entire compound to make sure there wasn't anything left over or something overlooked," Barton said.

The investigation into all of this continues, and Barton said that White is being cooperative. Two things they're still unsure about are his military background, and why he allegedly set his home on fire. Depending upon how this plays out...White could be facing federal charges.