Gunman opens fire at church; 26 dead
Officials: Children among victims in town outside San Antonio
In what the governor called the deadliest mass shooting in Texas’ history, a black-clad gunman opened fire during a Sunday morning service at a rural church outside San Antonio, leaving at least 26 dead, including children. ❚ He was found fatally shot a short time later in a neighboring Texas county after being pursued by a good Samaritan with a gun, officials said.
The gunman was identified as Devin Kelley, 26, of nearby Comal County, Texas, two law enforcement officials said Sunday. The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly, said it wasn’t immediately clear whether the gunman took his own life or was fatally shot by law enforcement officials.
Kelley was previously in the Air Force and served in logistics at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico from 2010 until his discharge, according to Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman.
“There are no words to describe the pure evil that we witnessed in Sutherland Springs today,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Speaking to reporters late Sunday,
Abbott said officials were cautiously releasing information on the shooting, including the names of victims, who ranged in age from 5 to 72.
Officials said 23 of the victims were shot inside the church.
“There’s a lot of information,” Abbott said. “We want to piece the puzzle together.”
Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety said the shooter, who wore a ballistic vest, was spotted about 11:20 a.m. at a gas station across from the church. Witnesses said he drove across the street, got out of his vehicle “and began firing at the church” with a Ruger assault-type rifle.
He moved to the other side and continued firing, then entered the church, Martin said, where he continued to fire.
As the suspect left the church, Martin said, a bystander retrieved a rifle and began firing at the shooter, who dropped his Ruger and drove away.
“Our local citizen pursued the suspect at that time,” Martin said.
As law enforcement responded, the suspect ran off a roadway at the Wilson County/Guadalupe County line, Martin said. Officials found the suspect dead in his car, he said, but they were not immediately certain if the fatal wound came from a self-inflicted gunshot or from the person pursuing him.
Frank Pomeroy, who is pastor of the church, told ABC News he was out of town when the rampage took place, but that his 14-year-old daughter was killed. Annabelle “was one very beautiful, special child,” Pomeroy said.
Paul Buford, pastor of nearby River Oaks Church, said his service was underway when first responders in his congregation were called to the scene. He said some members of the community had “confirmed information” about family members and friends. Buford declined to provide any details.
“We are pulling together as a community,” Buford said. “We are holding up as best we can.”
President Trump, addressing the shooting before speaking to U.S. and Japanese business leaders at a meeting in Tokyo, said the federal government will give “full support” to Texas as it deals with the aftermath of the “horrific shooting” at the church. While these are
“We are pulling together as a community. We are holding up as best we can.” Paul Buford Pastor of nearby River Oaks Church
“dark times,” Trump said, Americans will do “what we do best: We pull together.”
The government’s support will include survivors as well, he said. “We will never, ever leave their side,” Trump said. “Ever.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton noted on CNN that Sunday’s shooting took place eight years to the day after the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, which unfolded about 150 miles north of Sutherland Springs. In that shooting, Maj. Nidal Hasan killed 13 and wounded 32 in the deadliest domestic military attack in U.S. history.
Paxton said he wondered if there was a connection between the two shootings. “It’s just strange to me that it happened on the same day and in the same state,” he said.
Carrie Matula, who works at a nearby gas station near, told MSNBC she heard what sounded like semiautomatic gunfire coming from the modest, white clapboard church with a red door.
“This is something that happens in a big city,” she said. “I would never have thought this would have taken place here. It’s just too tight a community. It doesn’t make sense.”