A longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas avoided being caught up in the deadly shooting at the church after deciding not to attend Sunday prayers.
“I changed my mind to go to church today, and so did my daughter, otherwise we’d be there,” the woman told CBS News affiliate KENS. She added that another woman narrowly avoided being caught up in the carnage after she left the area two minutes before the shooting happened to go clean the church’s kitchen.
READ MORE: Multiple dead after gunmen opened fire on Sutherland Springs, Texas church
Over 20 people were killed and more than 20 injured after a gunman entered the church in the small southeast Texas town and began firing. He was later killed by police.
WATCH: Aerial video of Texas church shooting
About 860 people lived in the Sutherland Springs area as of 2010, according to the U.S. Census. The witness told KENS that she estimated that about 40 people would typically be at the church on Sunday.
“About half of our church members are gone,” she said.
“We did no wrong. We leave our doors open, our cars are unlocked. We don’t lock our doors out here, but why… there’s no words.”