November 5, 2017

There has been another mass shooting in America, this time at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a small town southeast of San Antonio.

ABC News:

A person who said she works at a gas station across the street from the church told ABC News she heard rapid gunfire at around 11:15 a.m., leading congregants from the church as well as customers at the station to run inside for cover.

“We heard several shots and we all started running inside the store,” she said.

“It lasted about 15 seconds. I yelled, ‘Get down! Get inside!’ and we all went into hiding,” said the woman, who said she is 49 but declined to give her name.

She said the gas station locked its doors. "We have not reopened,” she said.

She then that within minutes of the gunfire, emergency personnel had arrived at the scene.

“There were officers that were checking the wounded in here were asking them questions,” she said.

I will update this post as more details are available. Do we all agree that thoughts and prayers are not enough to stop massacres like this as long as people can get weapons and inflict mass death? I sure hope we do.

Update:

The shooter has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, age 26. Authorities are searching his home in a neighboring town.

Also confirmed: The pastor's 14-year old daughter was killed in the shooting. May she rest in peace. The church's pastor and his wife were both out of town at the time and have not been able to return home yet. The wife confirmed her daughter's death.

Here's the only picture I've been able to find of Kelley:

Update 2:

CBS News reports that "Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. He received a dishonorable discharge and was court martialed in May 2014."

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