Latest Updates:
- Officials have identified the suspect as a 26-year -old male, reports have named him as Devin Patrick Kelley
- 26 people were killed, 20 others were injured
- Shooter has died.
A gunman opened fire at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas on Sunday, killing 26.
The shooter has been identified by officials as Devin Patrick Kelley, reports the New York Times, NBC and others. Officials declined to provide the suspect’s name during a press conference, but they did confirm that he was 26.
READ MORE: Texas church shooter identified as Devin Patrick Kelley: reports
A witness told local news outlet KSAT News that he saw a man walk into First Baptist Church on 4th Street at around 11:30 a.m. Witnesses later told a CBS affiliate that they heard several gunshots before realizing that several people were hit during the incident.
Twenty-six people were killed during the attack, officials said during a press conference following the attack. The Connally Memorial Medical Centre later confirmed to reporters that multiple victims are being treated. Officials said during the conference that victims ranged from ages five to 72.
After the suspect entered the church and began firing his rifle, a local resident then grabbed his own rifle and engaged the suspect, officials say. The suspect then fled the church and was pursued by local law enforcement. The suspect then drove off the road near the county line and crashed.
Officials stated that law enforcement found the suspect deceased in the vehicle with a gunshot wound, though it wasn’t immediately clear whether the suspect committed suicide or if he was shot by the resident.
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Little is known so far about the victims, except that the 14-year-old daughter of the church’s pastor Frank Pomeroy was among those killed.
READ MORE: Texas church shooting: Woman avoids massacre after deciding not to attend church
Pomeroy, who was in Oklahoma at the time of the shooting, told reporters that his daughter Annabelle Pomeroy was ” one very beautiful and special child.”
Sherri Pomeroy, wife of Frank Pomeroy, said in a text message to the Associated Press that she lost her daughter “and many friends” in the shooting. The text came to a phone number linked in online records to Frank Pomeroy.
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Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told reporters that there were several injuries and several casualties following the incident, though the numbers are still unconfirmed. It’s also been reported that children may have been among those killed.
County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Robert Murphey later told CNN that the shooter was killed after a short chase into Guadalupe County.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement that his office “stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott offered his condolences on Twitter to those impacted by the shooting.
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted about the shooting from his visit to Japan, stating that he is monitoring the situation.
The town of Sutherland Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents and is located approximately 40 miles east of San Antonio.
READ MORE: First Baptist Church was a fixture in small Texas community of Sutherland Springs
This shooting comes just over a month after 58 people were killed by a gunman at a country music festival in Las Vegas, one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
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