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The gunman behind the First Baptist Church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, who claimed the life at least 25 victims.
A motive has not been made at this time
Kelley has been identified as a white man around 26 years of age, according to authorities. Reportedly, he shared a photo of an AR-15 style-looking rifle on his Facebook account before the shooting. Kelley was later shown to be from Comal County and is not believed to be from the area the church belongs to and was likely not a parishioner. At this time, his motive for the shooting is still unclear.
According to CBS News, Kelley was dressed in “full gear” when he entered the church. At the time of the shooting, the gunman was believed to have escaped through a vehicle. However, Kelley died soon after the shooting took place; at the time it was unclear if he had been killed by police or had taken his own life.
At least one of the victims has been identified as a child
It is not clear what type of gun was used in the shooting at this time, with claims of rifles being used made on social media. As one woman wrote on social media, “Oh my God if you live in Sutherland Springs or Wilson County please go in side and stay safe. My family just called me freaking out because across the street from their house a guy with an assault rifle started shooting in our town church and even shot my brothers house. If ur from my hometown go inside, lock ur doors and so be safe and I love you all [sic]”.
According to reports, the shooting wounded almost everyone inside the church building, which notably took place in a town of only a few hundred people. According to reports, around 25 people were killed in the shooting, although some reports suggest more, up to 30. According to KENS5, at least one of the victims was said to be a child, whose condition was not made clear; pregnant women were also believed to be included in those shot.
Update: According to CNN, 26 people were killed in the shooting, one of the victims being the pastor’s 14-year-old daughter. According to Daily Mail, her name was Annabelle Renee Pomeroy, and she had been one of the first victims identified.
The incident has also be labeled one of the worst shootings in Texas history by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
According to Fox News, the youngest victim was later said to be 18-months-old, said during a news conference on Monday. Earlier accounts had claimed the youngest victim was 5 years old.
The New York Daily News later confirmed that one of the victims had been his partner’s own grandmother, Lula Woicinski White. Police later released a statement the Monday after the shooting supporting the idea that a domestic dispute had been what motivated the gunman. “This was not racially motivated. It wasn’t over religious beliefs,” explained Freeman Martin of the Texas Department of Public Safety, adding, “There was a domestic situation going on with the family and in-laws.”
