It has been reported that at least 26 people have been killed in a shooting at a church in Texas. We are thinking of the families whose loved ones were killed in the senseless incident.
It is understood that a male gunman opened fire at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, in Wilson County, 65km east of San Antonio.
The incident occurred during a Sunday morning service at approximately 11:30 am.
It is believed that 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley was the gunman. He was found dead in a vehicle located far from the scene of the crime.
One witness shared that as he fled the church, a local man shot the suspect with his own rifle. The suspect escaped the crime scene in a car, which contained numerous weapons.
Reports have stated that the local man followed the gunman, who then crashed his car at the Guadalupe County line.
Texas shooter had ties to church through family members https://t.co/aQQjVpgWO6 pic.twitter.com/LmBpotpkzO
— New York Post (@nypost) November 6, 2017
The police do not know if the man died by suicide or from the shots fired by the citizen.
Governor of Texas Greg Abbott has revealed that this is the worst mass shooting that has ever occurred in the state.
Abbott spoke at a press conference, “We have been following up on the suspect and where he's from. We have Texas Rangers at all the hospitals locating those and interviewing those who were injured."
He expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families, “The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it occurred in a church, a place of worship where these people were innocently gunned down.”
He stated that they are examining multiple crime scenes including outside the church and the killer’s vehicle.
Texas church shooting victims’ ages range from 5 to 72 https://t.co/re03OO9m8s pic.twitter.com/lejBPP4Mju
— New York Post (@nypost) November 6, 2017
The small, rural town has been left devastated by the tragic attack. “This will be a long, suffering mourning for those in pain," said Greg Abbott.
People have called on president Donald Trump to bring in stronger gun laws in the United States; however, he believed that the mass shooting in Texas was due to a mental health problem and not a gun issue.
He described the suspect as “a very deranged individual, with a lot of problems.”
He stated that the mass shooting in Texas was a very sad event, “This is a mental health problem at the highest level.”
The US President added that the American flags at government buildings are set to fly at half-mast up until November 9.
Our thoughts are with the people of Texas who were involved in this horrid tragedy.
