At least 26 people were killed in Texas, with many more wounded, after a gunman opened fire at a church outside San Antonio on Sunday, the state's governor confirmed.
Multiple sources speaking to Fox News identified the gunman as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley. The mass shooting unfolded at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, which is about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. Officials said it's unclear whether Kelley killed himself or was fatally shot by police.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said up to 27 people were killed and "many more" wounded after a man walked into the church around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday and opened fire at the crowd of people.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said at a press conference Sunday evening that the victims range in age from 5 to 72 years old. Another official said approximately 20 others were transported to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to "very severe."
Sunday's shooting is the deadliest church shooting in modern U.S. history. It is also, according to Abbott, the deadliest in the history of Texas.
I made the mistake of perusing Twitter in the aftermath of this church shooting. It's an exercise in futility to answer all of the disgusting politicization and flat out misinformation, so I took my leave shortly thereafter. I am just utterly heartbroken that all those who have perished in mass shootings over the past decade or so have been little more than political pawns to those outside of their immediate circle of influence.
A few other quick thoughts:
- While the inevitable blood-curdling shrieks for "gun control" ramp up, keep in mind that further carnage was avoided thanks to a good guy with a gun. A resident who lived near the church grabbed his rifle and approached the gunman which resulted in him dropping his weapon and fleeing.
- Because Kelley was dishonorably discharged from the Air Force due to a domestic violence charge, he likely was not eligible to procure a firearm. However, Kelley somehow passed a background check. I guess it'll have to be determined if this was an administrative screw-up or if there are legitimate kinks in the execution of said background checks.
- Literally two minutes before I went on the air for my Sunday radio show, I was able to get a hold of firearms & security expert Peter Johnson of Archway Defense. Among multiple issues he covered, Peter offered some words of advice for the faith-based community regarding taking control of their security. Check out the segment here.
As always, I will indeed offer my sincere prayers to those who lost loved ones in this horrific incident. I pray they find peace and comfort which transcends all understanding.
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