As gunfire blazed, many feared the worst

WHEN medical assistant Kevin Jordan looked next door as semi-automatic gunfire pounded inside his family church, he knew many he loved would be killed.

The 11am Sunday service at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, often draws as many as 50 congregants, and in the small, white, wood building, there would be few places to hide from the black-clad madman unleashing hell with a Ruger assault rifle.

Former Air Force member and bible studies teacher Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, yesterday murdered 26 and injured 20 in America’s worst church shooting before being killed.

Air Force service records reveal Kelley served in the Air Force until he was discharged for allegedly assaulting his wife and child, Associated Press reported.

Kelley was demoted and received a bad conduct discharge following the court martial, and served a one-year detention sentence.

Among his victims aged from five to 72 were the teenage daughter of church pastor Frank Pomeroy, who was away for the weekend in Oklahoma with wife Sherri.

Describing his youngest child, daughter Annabelle, 14, as “one very beautiful, special child”, Pastor Pomeroy said many of his best friends were among the other victims.

Also reported killed were pregnant mum-of-four Joann Ward and her six-year-old daughter Brooke.

Ms Ward’s six-year-old stepson Rylan was shot four times while her eight-year-old daughter Emily was also hit. Both were in emergency surgery last night. Her nine-yearold daughter Rihanna hid from the bullets beneath a pew.

Retirees Karla Holcombe, who taught Sunday School, and her husband Bryan also died in the rampage, their family said.