At least 26 people are dead after a gunman walked into the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas Sunday morning and opened fire on the crowd.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement about the latest death toll at a press conference Sunday night calling it “the largest mass shooting in the state’s history.”

Sutherland Springs is a small community of 400 people located about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. According to a 2015 listing in the national directory of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Sutherland Springs church was established in 1926 and has nearly 270 members, drawing about 180 people on Sundays. 

The victims ranged in age from 5 to 72 years old. Their identities have not been released. 

First Baptist Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy told ABC News that his 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle, is among the dead.  He said she “was one very beautiful, special child.”

Pomeroy’s wife, Sherri, said in a text message to the Associated Press that she and her husband were out of town when the attack occurred, but they lost their daughter “and many friends.” She said she and her husband were trying to get home. 

ABC affiliate KSAT interviewed a local pastor whose members are at the site ministering to victims’ families.

KSAT also posted video of shocked and grieving residents praying at the scene.

One hospital about 10 miles from the shooting says there “multiple” victims with gunshot wounds are being treated.

Connally Memorial Medical Center spokeswoman Megan Posey declined to say how many patients were being treated at the hospital but said the number was less than a dozen. The hospital is in Floresville, Texas.

Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told the paper and other media outlets that the suspect walked into the church around 11:30 a.m. and began firing.  The man has been “taken down,” the sheriff said.

Authorities are still trying to determine a motive. They have identified the shooter as 26-year-old Devin Kelley. 

Officials at the press conference gave this timeline of the shooting.  At 11:20 a.m., the suspect was seen by a witness at the Valero gas station near the church.  He was dressed all in black. He crossed the street to the church, got out of his car and fired at the church, moved to the right side of the church. He then entered the church and kept firing. 

A local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged the suspect in a firefight when he exited the church.  The suspect fled in his vehicle and the local citizen pursued him. 

The suspect crashed his vehicle near the county line and was found dead in his car with a gunshot wound.  It is not known yet if it was self-inflicted or law enforcement that killed him. Officials said the suspect was wearing a ballistic protective vest. 

A federal official told the AP that Kelley doesn’t appear to be linked to organized terrorist groups. The official says investigators are looking at social media posts Kelley may have made in the days before Sunday’s attack, including one that appeared to show an AR-15 semiautomatic weapon.

ABC affiliate KSAT.com was at the church shortly after the shooting. Digital Journalist Erica Hernandez posted the report below.

 

The area around the church has been cordoned off and FBI agents, Texas Rangers and  ATF agents are assisting with the investigation. 

President Trump reacted to the news via Twitter. 

The president is on the first stop of a 12-day trip to Asia. Speaking from Tokyo Monday morning, President Trump called the incident “a horrific shooting.” 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families in today’s horrible attack,” the president said. “It happened at a place of sacred worship. The pain and grief we all feel cannot begin to imagine the suffering of those who lost loved ones.”

“In a time of crisis Americans will do what we do best: we pull together and join hands and lock arms and through the tears and sadness we stand strong,” Trump said.

The president said his administration will provide all the support necessary and praised the first responders. 

“All Americans pray to God to help the wounded and the families of the victims. We will never ever leave their side,” he said. 

Other government officials also took to Twitter to express their condolences. 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted, “Keeping all harmed in Sutherland Springs in our prayers and grateful our brave first responders on the scene.”
 
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement on the shooting. 

 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also weighed in on the tragedy. 

“The thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with the people of Sutherland Springs as tragic reports come out of First Baptist Church. My office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed. Please join Angela and me as we pray for those impacted by this horrific shooting,” said Paxton in a statement.

The church where a similar attack occurred last month also tweeted their condolences.  Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee also wrote, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, TX.”

“Here we are again broken-hearted by evil and – this time – in a sanctuary for the Prince of Peace. We pray, we cry and we plead with God for mercy on our land. We thank Him for the first responders and we trust Him to comfort those whose pain is unbearable. May our nation pray,” said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez in a statement.

People across the country are posting prayer and comments of sympathy at the church’s Facebook page.
 

 

 

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