At least 26 people were reportedly killed on Sunday in a church shooting in Sutherland Springs in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott who made the disclosure at a press conference stated that 20 people also sustained various degrees of injuries. According to CNN, a 14-year-old daughter of the First Baptist Church's pastor, Frank Pomeroy also died in the shooting. The incident occurred when the parents were travelling out of the state.
According to the report, Freeman Martin, a regional director with the Texas Department of Public Safety hinted that authorities are yet to establish what may have motivated the suspected shooter, who was later found dead in his vehicle.
Martin said the suspect was seen in a Valero gas station across the street from the church in Sutherland Springs at about 11:20 a.m. local time on Sunday morning. He thereafter left the gas station, crossed the street, exited his vehicle and began firing before he entered the church, Martin said.
"As the suspected shooter left the church, a local resident used their own rifle to engage him. The shooter then fled the church, while the citizen pursued him. After a brief chase, law enforcement later found the suspect dead of a gunshot wound inside his vehicle. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said multiple weapons were found in Kelley's car."
Meanwhile, the President of United States, Donald Trump has condoled with the people of the area. On Sunday President Trump 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 shooter has been identified as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley. Kelly had reportedly purchased the Ruger AR-556 rifle he used in the shooting from an Academy Sports & Outdoors store in San Antonio, Texas. He was a member of the US Air Force and served at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico from 2010 until his discharge.
