Churchgoers kill gunman who shot two during service
HOUSTON: Worshippers in the US state of Texas shot dead a gunman who opened fire during a livestreamed Sunday service, ending an attack that killed two parishioners, authorities said.
The latest US shooting at a house of worship took place in the suburban Fort Worth community of White Settlement on Sunday morning when the gunman entered West Freeway Church of Christ, officials said.
“A couple of members of the church returned fire, striking the suspect who died at the scene,” White Settlement Police Chief JP Bevering told reporters.
He praised the “heroic actions of those parishioners” for ending the threat, although he said one of the suspect’s victims died at a local hospital.
A second parishioner later died, authorities told reporters at an evening news conference.
The FBI said it was working to find a motive for the attack.
“Places of worship are meant to be sacred, and I am grateful for the church members who acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and families of those killed in the evil act of violence that occurred at the West Freeway Church of Christ,” he added.
The church regularly posts its services online and a video of the attack was livestreamed on their website.
Guns kill about 36,000 people a year in the United States, one of the most heavily armed countries in the world.