Just over a month since the deadliest mass shooting in United States history in Las Vegas, we now have the fifth deadliest.
Today, a gunman opened fire at a church during a weekly Sunday service. It will mark the deadliest church mass shooting in United States history.
It will also go down as the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the state of Texas.
The incident occurred at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, which is a very rural town of 643 people on the outskirts of suburban San Antonio. Early reports from emergency personnel show that at least 27 people have died and another 20+ have been injured. The shooting started about 30 minutes into the church service.
After a vehicular chase with police, the gunman was killed.
Local police say that the gunman who opened fire at a church near San Antonio, Texas, is now dead. https://t.co/KV1KsDwzM8
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) November 5, 2017
BREAKING: Wilson Co Comm Paul Pfeil told me 20+ wounded & 20+ dead in #SutherlandSprings church shooting https://t.co/eMFzLDJc6m via @mySa
— Kelsey Bradshaw (@kbrad5) November 5, 2017
More details to come.
Featured image courtesy of @MaxMasseyTV
Update 4:49pm Est:
Photo of the shooter’s vehicle:
#BREAKING: This is reportedly a photo of the Texas church shooter’s vehicle. pic.twitter.com/9xerbfSF8I
— UA News (@UrgentAlertNews) November 5, 2017
Photo of First Baptist Church:
Shooter at Sutherland Springs, Texas church.
Among victims was two year old child.
Witnesses said shooter came in ‘full gear’. pic.twitter.com/mfnXmT49Ro
— GRANT J. KIDNEY 🇺🇸 (@GrantJKidney) November 5, 2017
Reports of the shooter’s name being Chris Ward have falsely been spread. He was a victim and is currently in the hospital.
The shooter’s identity is still unknown.
It is still unknown if the shooter was killed by police or took his own life.
One of the 27 killed was the pastor’s 14 year old daughter.
JUST IN: Pastor’s 14-year-old daughter among 27 dead in Sutherland Springs church shooting – KTRK https://t.co/DuJM7KR7ep pic.twitter.com/fE8hHwhwwU
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 5, 2017
Carrie Matula, who was at a gas station about 50 miles away from the church when the shooting took place, said that it sounded like “semi-automatic” gunfire. “It was rapid fire,” said Matula. “It was just boom, boom, boom.”
Update 8:30pm Est:
Shooter Identified As Devin Patrick Kelley, a 26 year old with past military experience:
PICTURED: Texas church shooter is identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, a 26-year-old Bible studies teacher https://t.co/dZiGtDsvGP pic.twitter.com/t5kCbPQKxw
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) November 5, 2017
According to witnesses, the shooter was forced to stop his rampage when someone started firing at him.
Texas Church Attacker Fled After Good Guy with a Gun Shot at Him https://t.co/vJCRZu0GVq
— Stefan Molyneux (@StefanMolyneux) November 6, 2017
More additional facts:
What we know so far about the Texas Baptist church shooting https://t.co/8Nis1rg4uu pic.twitter.com/sLN6XqgAcr
— The Guardian (@guardian) November 6, 2017
Update 9:00am Est:
Now confirmed that shooter took his own life:
CBS NEWS: Texas church shooter appears to have been killed by self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, sheriff says.
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) November 6, 2017
Shooter denied gun license:
Texas church shooter Devin Kelley had been denied a gun license from the state, Gov. Greg Abbott says https://t.co/hMnFmuxKTD pic.twitter.com/W6BNS1OGpQ
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) November 6, 2017
Update 12:30pm Est:
Shooter Sent Life Threatening Messages To In-Laws:
Texas suspect sent "threatening texts" to mother-in-law who attended church, Texas DPS official says https://t.co/kBp0msQAb2
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 6, 2017
Updates will be made as they emerge.
