At Least 26 Killed After Gunman Opens Fire During a Church Service in Texas [Photos] | lovebscott.com

At Least 26 Killed After Gunman Opens Fire During a Church Service in Texas [Photos]

26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire inside a rural Texas church on Sunday, killing at least 26 people and injuring at least another 10.

As of now, there’s no identified reason for the shooting that occurred at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs — but Devin died at the scene. It’s unclear if he shot himself or if he was killed by police.

An unconfirmed LinkedIn account for Devin lists four years of service in the Air Force and a month as a teacher aide for a Vacation Bible School in Kingsville, Texas.

He was reportedly given a dishonorable discharge and court martialed in May 2014.

via NBC:

 

Sherri Pomeroy, the wife of church pastor Frank Pomeroy, told NBC News in a statement that her 14-year-old daughter was among the victims. She said she and her husband were out of town in two different states at the time of the shooting.

“We lost our 14-year-old daughter today and many friends,” she said. “Neither of us have made it back into town yet to personally see the devastation.”

Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said on MSNBC that based on what he knew he did not believe the incident was related to terrorism, but “was some kind of other incident that has to do with the church or the community.”

“It’s a rural community and a conservative, mostly farmers and ranchers and people who work out in the oil and gas patches,” he said, adding that the area was “very tranquil and very safe.”

Carrie Matula, who works at a gas station about a block and a half away from the church, told MSNBC that she heard “semiautomatic gunfire” and looked to see what was going on.

“It’s a small Baptist church. It’s an older building. I don’t know that they would have security cameras or anything high tech like that. And I know they didn’t have security in the parking lot,” she said.

“I never thought it would happen here,” Matula added. “This is something that happens in a big city. I would never have thought this would have taken place here. It’s just too tight a community. It doesn’t make sense.”The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a poston Twitter that it was sending special agents from its field offices in Houston and San Antonio to respond to the site of the shooting.

A spokeswoman with Connally Memorial Medical Center in Floresville, Texas, said it had taken in eight patients. Four of those patients were transferred to University Hospital in San Antonio “for higher level of care,” two were discharged and two others were still being treated at the hospital, spokeswoman Megan Posey, said.

A spokesman for the University Health System said the hospital in San Antonio had received five adults and four children, with a 10th person likely to be transferred over from a rural hospital.

“While the details of this horrific act are still under investigation, Cecilia and I want to send our sincerest thoughts and prayers to all those who have been affected by this evil act,”Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “I want to thank law enforcement for their response and ask that all Texans pray for the Sutherland Springs community during this time of mourning and loss.”

President Donald Trump, travelling in Asia, tweeted, “May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI & law enforcement are on the scene. I am monitoring the situation from Japan.

The church is a white, wood-framed building with a double-door at the entrance and a Texas flag on a pole at the front area, according to its website, which was down shortly after the shooting. The website says the church schedule was for a fellowship breakfast on Sunday mornings, followed by Sunday School. A morning worship service was scheduled for 11 a.m. The first news reports of the shooting were between noon and 12:30 p.m.

The church has posted videos of its Sunday services on a YouTube channel, raising the possibility that the shooting was captured on video.

In the most recent service, posted Oct. 29, Pastor Pomeroy began by speaking in front of a stage with two guitarists and a singer. A few children can be seen moving around and climbing onto the pews. Most people, including Pomeroy, were in jeans.

Pomeroy parked a motorcycle in front of his lectern and used it as a metaphor in his sermon for having faith in forces that can’t be seen, whether it was gravity or God.

“I don’t look at the moment, I look at where I’m going and look at what’s out there ahead of me,” Pomeroy said. “I’m choosing to trust in the centripetal forces and the things of God He’s put around me.”

 

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