Cowboy a ‘hero’ after helping to stop killer

A PICK-UP-driving, heavily tattooed cowboy is being hailed a hero for his vital role in bringing down the Texas church massacre gunman.

Johnnie Langendorff was driving past the First Baptist Church in the small town of Sutherland Springs just moments after Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire on parishioners during morning service, killing at least 26 people.

As Kelley fled, another bystander – a local man believed to live next to the church – fired on him with his own rifle.

Mr Langendorff saw this exchange of gunfire and stopped to assist, he told TV news outlet KSAT 12.

“The shooter had taken off, fled in his vehicle,” he said.

“I just acted and got (the bystander) off the road. He explained very quickly what happened and he got in the truck. I knew it was time to go.”

They chased Kelley for some time at high speed, reaching 150km/h, before the killer crashed.

“He lost control. I put the vehicle in park, the other gentleman got out,” Mr Langendorff said.

He had his rifle drawn but (the shooter) didn’t move after that. Mr Langendorff said he had acted on instinct when asked to help.

“I was trying to get him, to get him apprehended. It was strictly just acting on what the right thing to do was,” he said, adding he didn’t know the identity of the other hero.

And while he would not identify him, a neighbour of the man who turned his rifle on Kelley lauded his intervention, saying he saved many lives.

“Our neighbour, he’s a very, very good guy,” Kevin Jordan said.

“The nicest man on the planet, and he will do anything for anyone around here.”