Harboursandport.com: WHITE SETTLEMENT,
Texas (ABC News) — At least one victim was killed
and four others were injured when a gunman opened fire inside a crowded Texas
church on Sunday morning before he was shot to death by two armed parishioners,
including a security guard, officials told ABC News.
The shooting occurred at 10:57 a.m. at the
West Freeway Church of Christ in the Fort Worth suburb of White Settlement and
was captured on the church’s live stream of the service, officials said.
Witnesses told reporters that the gunman was
wearing a fake beard and sunglasses and had taken communion before launching
the attack. …
“Our hearts go out to the victims and
families of those killed in the evil act of violence that occurred at the West
Freeway Church of Christ,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “Places
of worship are meant to be sacred, and I am grateful for the church members who
acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life.”
The FBI is assisting
in the investigation, according to Matthew Desarno, special agent in charge of
FBI's Dallas field office.
"We
are working very hard to find a motive, to get to the bottom of what
happened," Desarno said.
The church service
was going on when the gunman appeared to stand up and confront an usher,
according to the live stream video.
The
footage shows the gunman wearing a long coat taking a step back before pulling
what appeared to be a shotgun from his coat and firing point-blank on the usher
and another member of the congregation. A security guard standing near the
front door of the church returned fire, hitting the suspect, according to the
video.
White
Settlement Police Chief J.P. Bevering said at a news conference Sunday
afternoon that an armed parishioner also fired at the suspect, hitting him. In
just six seconds the shooting was over, authorities said.
"The
suspect is deceased, and the threat has stopped thanks to the heroic action of
those two parishioners at the church," Bevering said.
"The
two security volunteers saved 242 other parishioners who were in the
church," said Jeff Williams, director of public safety.
As chaos
erupted, members of the congregation ducked under pews as others who appeared
to be armed rushed toward the gunman, the video shows.
"Everything
is under control. Our security team did everything they needed to do," a
church leader is heard in the live stream telling terrified members of the
congregation.
The church leaders
urged everyone to stay calm and file out of the sanctuary.
"We
had a gentleman that came in armed to do harm," the church leader says in
the footage.
Church
members can be heard screaming and crying in the live stream, including one
person who yelled, "I love you."
Church member Melanie
Davis said her mother was sitting next to the gunman he launched his attack.
"I'm
just giving all the glory to God because he was the one who protected my
mom," Davis said outside the church. "The shooter was sitting next to
my mother. And so she is the one who recognized that he had a fake beard on and
sunglasses on."
Davis said
her mother told her the gunman got up a couple of time during the service,
including once to take communion.
"Once
he got up and took communion that's when he came around and started shooting.
It was during communion," Davis said.
She said
her mother, who was not injured in the attack, dove under a pew and hid when
she saw the gunman pull a shotgun from under his coat.
Texas Attorney
General Ken Paxton tweeted his office will assist in the investigation if
needed.
ABC News's Marilyn
Heck, Jenna Harrison and Bonnie McLean contributed to this report.
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