Kelby Davis, a 2009 graduate of the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB), recently shared her thoughts about the aftermath of the Aug. 31, 2019 shooting spree that began when a Texas state trooper was shot during a traffic stop.
The gunman drove around Odessa and Midland shooting from his vehicle, injuring 22 and killing seven before he was killed by law enforcement, according to coverage by The Texas Tribune.
One of the injured was Davis’ then 17-month-old daughter while the family was stopped at a traffic light near the UTPB campus, Davis wrote in her piece published to the UTPB website.
“Thanks to God, the brave first responders, and amazing healthcare professionals that cared for us during the events and in the days since, we sit here today with beautifully happy and healthy 2-year-old twins and never take one minute of watching them run and play for granted,” Davis wrote.
While Davis acknowledged that her family was more fortunate than others who lost loved ones or lives it is the days that followed and the response from the community that she hopes people remember most.
“My time at UTPB taught me how important it is to be a community of people working together to support each other in all aspects of our lives,” Davis wrote. “Since the shooting, our family has been surrounded with a sense of community and support that is almost unimaginable. I say almost, because honestly the support we have received isn’t that surprising coming from the good people of West Texas.”
The community that makes up and surrounds UTPB is special and supportive, and Davis wrote that she feels that is something that will grow in the future.
“As UTPB continues to produce graduates who choose to work here and stay here, as we have, I believe our community will continue to thrive and be full of leaders that lead with a servant's heart and rally together when their community needs them the most,” she wrote.