Last Updated Nov 5, 2017 8:11 PM EST
What we know:
- A gunman opened fire inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday
- 26 people were killed and 20 were injured in the attack, officials said
- The suspect has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, CBS News has learned
- President Trump pledged his full support to Texas and the communities affected
- FBI and ATF agents are assisting local law enforcement with the investigation
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas — A gunman opened fire inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday, killing 26 people and wounding 20 others, authorities said.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the attack the deadliest mass shooting in his state’s history. The youngest victim was 5 years old and the oldest was 72. Officials said 23 people were found dead inside the church, two outside, one died after being taken to a hospital.
The shooting suspect has been identified as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley, federal law enforcement sources told CBS News.
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.
On Sunday night, authorities only identified the suspect as a young white male. They said he was seen dressed in all black and tactical gear — including a “ballistic vest” — at a local gas station at 11:20 a.m. He then exited his vehicle, crossed the street and began firing an AR-15 style weapon at the church, officials said. The suspect entered the church and continued to fire.
As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his gun and pursued the suspect, who dropped his weapon and fled the scene.
The suspect was later found dead inside his vehicle. Officials are unsure if he was shot by a resident or suffered a self inflicted gunshot wound, said Freeman Martin, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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.”
Video from KENS-TV showed first responders at the scene, located about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
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.
CBS News
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 also at the scene assisting local police, CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton reports. She says officials are trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
President Trump, who is on his first presidential trip to Asia, addressed the situation from Tokyo, calling it a “horrific shooting.”
“Victims and their families were in their sacred place of worship. We cannot put into words the pain and grief we all feel,” Mr. Trump said in televised remarks.
“In dark times such as these, Americans do we what do best and we pull together. We lock hands and we joins arms. Through the tears and through the sadness we stand strong.”
Mr. Trump pledged his full support to the state of Texas and the local communities affected by Sunday’s attack.
“We offer our thanks to the first responders, to the FBI, all of the many people involved. I will continue to follow the developments closely. All of America is praying to God.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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