Dallas Freeway Shooting Spree – Ex Utah State Trooper Suspect

UPDATE: A man suspected in a series of rush hour shootings near Dallas is a former Utah state trooper wanted on burglary and robbery warrants who apparently shot himself after a standoff with police, authorities said Tuesday

Brian Smith, 37, killed at least one of the victims of Monday’s shootings, Dallas police Lt. Craig Miller said. Investigators tied Smith to a killing in Dallas because by matching the bullets found at the standoff, he said.

“We feel safe in saying (Smith) … was the shooter,” Miller said.

Source

UPDATE: Live press conference on My Fox DFW at 11:30 CST .

Two drivers were shot to death and a third injured on roads in northeast Dallas and Garland during rush hour Monday evening.

Police were investigating four incidents Monday after the first fatal shooting was reported about 5:40 p.m. in Garland just north of LBJ Freeway. Police are working to establish whether the three shootings in Dallas are related to the Garland one.

“For whatever reason, this person is upset with something or someone and he’s taking it out on innocent victims going down the road, and that’s very scary,” said Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda.

The first victim was a man driving a small two-door car on Jupiter Road, police said. He stopped at a red light at Marquis Drive and an extended-cab Ford F150 pickup pulled up alongside his car. A balding white man in his 40s fired several shots at the car’s driver, killing him, said Officer Joe Harn of the Garland police.

Police said the pickup fled south on Jupiter Road. Minutes later it was reported that a man began shooting at a semi with no trailer on LBJ between Royal Lane and Skillman Street. No one was injured.

Police said a driver then shot at a 42-year-old man driving a United Van Lines 18-wheeler. The trucker was killed. His rig came to a stop in the middle lane of westbound LBJ just east of the Miller Road exit.

Police have not released the names of the men who were killed but said the driver of the 18-wheeler was about to park his rig.

“The plan was he was going to fly home to be with his wife and kids,” said Lt. Craig Miller of the Dallas homicide unit.

Farther west on LBJ near Skillman Street, another truck was struck by bullets – the fourth incident. That driver was struck by flying glass, said Jesse Medford, terminal manager with Dugan Truck Line. The driver was taken to an area hospital.

Mr. Medford said the driver, his employee, radioed him saying, “I’m getting shot at! I think I’m shot!” The trucker said he didn’t know why he was being fired upon, Mr. Medford said.

Mr. Medford told his driver to pull over, then Mr. Medford called 911.

Mr. Medford did not identify his driver other than to say he’s a longtime trucker in his 40s. He said the driver told him that he did not know who was shooting and did not give a detailed description of the assailant.

“He didn’t say anything about any type of road rage,” Mr. Medford said.

Rush hour traffic slowed to a crawl along the highway as police shut down all westbound lanes of LBJ east of the homicide scene for several hours. Drivers used access roads and alternate routes to get home as authorities began an intense investigation at the site

via  Source – Dallas Morning News

Reward Offered For Information On Suspicious Letters Sent To State Governors

New information has been released about suspicious letters containing white powder that have been mailed across the country.

The offices or more than 40 governors across the country have received the letters, including Governor Brian Schweitzer, according to the FBI.

Additional letters have been received at several U.S. Embassies overseas.

So far, the FBI said it does not believe the powder is dangerous, but it still looks suspicious.

A message was located inside the envelope, which is not being released at this time. The FBI said it is not clear on what the message means.

The white powder has been field screened and the tests have met with negative results.

The powder has been forwarded to local laboratories and some believe it could be corn starch or flour, but the FBI has asked everyone to be on the lookout for additional letters.

The Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for these mailings.

Anyone with information on who may be sending the letters is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI or 1-800-225-5324, the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or local law enforcement.

These letters are postmarked Dallas, Texas or North Texas.

via Montana’s News Station – Fair. Accurate. To the Point. -FBI continues investigation into suspicious letters.