TWO DEAD, ONE WOUNDED IN TEXAS CHURCH SHOOTING

One parishioner dies protecting others; one is in critical condition.

WHITE SETTLEMENT, TEXAS — Congregants shot and killed a man who opened fire Sunday in a church near Fort Worth, killing the attacker, police said.

A person shot by the suspect also died, and a second parishioner has life-threatening injuries following the attack at the West Freeway Church of Christ, White Settlement Police Department Chief J.P. Bevering said during a news conference Sunday afternoon.

The assailant fired once before the “heroic actions” of the congregants retaliated to cut his assault short, Bevering said.

“Unfortunately, this country has seen so many of these that we’ve actually gotten used to it at this point. And it’s tragic and it’s a terrible situation, especially during the holiday season,” Jeoff Williams, a regional director with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said. “I would like to point out that we have a couple of heroic parishioners who stopped short of just anything that you can even imagine, saved countless lives, and our hearts are going out to them and their families as well.”

Authorities have released scant details about the victims, the shooter and what led to the attack.

An elder at the church told the New York Times that one of those killed was a security guard who responded to the shooter, and he called him a dear friend.

“He was trying to do what he needed to do to protect the rest of us,” said the elder, Mike Tinius. “It’s extremely upsetting to see anyone committing violence.”

A woman who answered the phone at the church told the AP she could not answer questions and that she was told to direct inquiries to authorities.

WFAA, a Dallas-based TV station, reported that the church live-streamed the service on YouTube and that the video showed a man wearing a long coat produce a rifle or a shotgun, which he fired twice before someone shot back.

Two people with minor injuries were treated at the scene, MedStar Mobile Healthcare spokeswoman Macara Trusty said.