Strapped For Jesus: Texas Church Shooting

awhyley

Well-Known Member
Ain't mad at em. Sad that a church needs a security team, but this is where we are these days.

(CNN)A man shot and killed two people during a church service in White Settlement, Texas, on Sunday morning before two members of the church security team shot and killed him, authorities said.

City Police Chief J.P. Bevering said the shooter entered West Freeway Church of Christ and sat down in the sanctuary, then stood, pulled out a shotgun and shot two parishioners.
"There was a security team inside the church and they eliminated the threat," Bevering said.

A still image from livestreaming video inside the church shows the shooter holding a weapon in the top portion of the frame.

Matthew DeSarno, the FBI agent in charge of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, didn't identify the shooter, but said he was "relatively transient with roots to this area" and had been arrested multiple times in different municipalities.

The shooter was not on any sort of "watch list," DeSarno said, but investigators will try to determine whether he was driven by any sort of ideology. Authorities said the motive is unknown, and nobody knows yet whether the shooter targeted the victims.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the incident was over within six seconds thanks to the quick response of the security team members. Recent changes in Texas law allow licensed gun owners to carry firearms into houses of worship.

"Two of the parishioners who are volunteers on the security force drew their weapons and took out the killer immediately, saving untold number of lives," he said.
The shooter and one of the victims died on the way to the hospital, said Macara Trusty, spokesperson for Medstar Mobile Healthcare. The second victim flatlined, was revived and later died, authorities said.

Authorities have not identified the shooter or victims yet.


Link: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/29/us/church-shooting-texas/index.html
 

momi

Well-Known Member
I have watched the video more than I can to admit. There were at least 3 or 4 more guys that pulled out on the perpetrator.

I'm so sorry for the two victims, but I'm also thankful that the church had sense enough to engage armed security. Things could have been much worse.

I see now that having a concealed carry and range experience is not enough - I have already looked into tactical courses for me and my youngest daughter.
 

Queenie

Well-Known Member
I read an article about this shooter. The church said that had been there many times asking for money. They would give him food, but no money. This always angered him. The day of the shooting he wore a disguise.

I didn't watch the video. My guess from the pictures is that he sat the in back, in order to try to get the offering money. I used to attend a very large megachurch and we would have multiple uniformed county police officers stand outside of the room where they took the offering for counting.
 
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