Last Updated Nov 5, 2017 6:40 PM EST
What we know:
- A gunman opened fire inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday, killing and injuring multiple people, authorities said
- The shooting suspect has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, CBS News has learned
- The Connally Memorial Medical Center said “multiple” victims are being treated
- Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they were responding to the shooting. An FBI crisis response team is also on the scene, a law enforcement official said
- Officials will hold a press conference that will be live on CBSN; watch in the player above
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas — A gunman opened fire inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs Sunday, killing and injuring multiple people, authorities said.
Twenty-six people were killed in the shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news conference Sunday night.
The shooting suspect has been identified as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley, CBS News has learned from federal law enforcement sources.
Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. He was dishonorably discharged and court martialed in May 2014, CBS News has learned.
Federal law enforcement sources say the suspect used an AR-15 type rifle, CBS News justice and homeland security correspondent Jeff Pegues reports.
A law enforcement official confirmed that the gunman is deceased. He was shot after a car chase with police, but it’s unclear if he shot himself or if he was shot by police, CBS News’ senior investigative producer Pat Milton reports.
“We still don’t know much about what happened, other than this guy came in around 11:15 a.m. and started shooting everybody in the church,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on CBSN.
Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told Wilson County News earlier that a man entered the church and opened fire. He said there were multiple casualties and fatalities. CBS affiliate KENS confirmed at the scene that there have been “multiple casualties and fatalities” including children.
The Connally Memorial Medical Center told CBS News it received multiple victims related to the shooting.
Video from KENS showed first responders at the scene, located about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
The daughter of the church’s pastor was one of the victim’s killed in the shooting, her mother Sherri Pomeroy told CBS News via text message.
“My husband and I were ironically out of town in two different states. We lost our 14-year-old daughter today and many friends,” Pomeroy said Sunday.
She added, “Neither of us have made it back into town yet to personally see the devastation. I am at the Charlotte airport trying to get home as soon as I can.”
CBS News
Dana Fletcher, a business owner in the area, told CBS News she saw a “ton” of sheriff’s vehicles and ambulances racing down the road. She said she doesn’t know what happened but said there was heavy police presence and people were being airlifted from the scene.
Special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said they were responding to the shooting.
A law enforcement official said an FBI crisis response team is on scene to offer assistance to local police, CBS News’ Milton reports.
The FBI will be offering evidence recovery, offering to check through databases to see whether this person has any connections to international terror to see if its a terrorist event or a domestic situation, Milton reports. She says officials are looking into it but they don’t know the motivation at this point.
President Trump said on Twitter that he is monitoring the situation from Japan.
“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,” Mr. Trump tweeted Sunday.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted his condolences to those affected in the incident.
“Our prayers are with all who were harmed by this evil act. Our thanks to law enforcement for their response. More details from DPS soon,” Abbott tweeted Sunday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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