Texas church spree kills 1 and injures 3
DALLAS: A shooting at a church in Smith County, Texas, on Sunday left one person dead and three others, including the gunman, injured, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at Starrville Methodist Church in Smith County, about 160 kilometres east of Dallas.
The church’s pastor was killed in the shooting, Sgt Larry Christian of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said.
The pastor, who was not immediately identified, had confronted the gunman, who was hiding in the restroom, when the gunman took hold of the pastor’s weapon and shot him, Sgt Christian said.
The gunman sustained a gunshot wound to the hand, Sgt Christian said, although it was unclear who shot him.
One other person was shot and was taken by ambulance to hospital, while another, who was not shot, had injuries that were not life-threatening sustained in the chaos after the shooting.
There was no church service happening, Sgt Christian said, and it was not clear how many people were in the church at the time.
The gunman was apprehended by state authorities and will soon be in the custody of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, he said.
Gov Greg Abbott said in a statement that the state was “working closely with first responders and local officials to ensure that justice is served and that the Starrville community has the resources it needs during this time”.
In a separate message on Twitter, he said, “Texas will seek swift justice for the shooter”.