Report: More Than 20 Dead In Shooting At Church In Sutherland Springs, Texas
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (CBS News/AP) - Dozens of people have been shot at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs - it's unknown how many have been injured or killed.
Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told the Wilson County News that a man entered the church and opened fire. Tackitt said there were multiple casualties and fatalities.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that more than 20 people were killed in the shooting. The official, who was briefed on the investigation, was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The official said between 10 to 15 people were also injured but stressed the investigation was early and the figures could change. Authorities were still trying to determine a motive.
A law enforcement official confirmed the gunman is deceased. He was shot after a car chase with police. It's unclear if he shot himself or if he was shot by police, reports CBS News. He's been identified as Devin Patrick Kelly.
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."
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.
The Connally Memorial Medical Center told CBS News it received multiple victims related to the shooting.
Video from KENS showed first responders at the scene, located about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
The Republican governor has also promised "more details" from the state's Department of Public Safety soon.
President Donald Trump has tweeted from Japan that he is monitoring the situation in Texas following a mass shooting at a church.
Trump tweeted: "May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas." He added that the FBI is on the scene.
Trump is in Japan as part of a 12-day, five-country Asian trip.
2:15 p.m.
A County Commissioner in Texas says he's been told that more than 20 people were killed and more than 20 were wounded in an attack at a church, though he says those figures haven't been confirmed.
Albert Gamez, a Wilson County commissioner, made the comments to cable news outlets after the attack Sunday at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, a small community 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
A sheriff says that a man walked into the church and started firing. Authorities say the attacker was later killed.
1:20 p.m.
A sheriff says a man walked into a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and started shooting, leaving multiple people dead.
The Wilson County News reports that Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt said the shooter has been taken down. It wasn't immediately known how many people were killed and wounded or who carried out the attack.
First responders converged on the church in the small town southeast of San Antonio and helicopters are taking victims to hospitals.
Sutherland Springs is a community of about 400 people 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio.
1 p.m.
Local news outlets report that several people have been shot at a Baptist Church in South Texas.
Television stations KSAT and KENS report that there are multiple victims and that there is a large police presence at the church in Sutherland Springs, which is 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio.
KSAT reports that two Airlife helicopters are also at the scene.
A sheriff's department dispatcher says everyone is at the scene and unavailable to comment.
KSAT has video of several fire and police vehicles at the church and a photo of a helicopter that the station says was arriving to take victims to hospitals.
In 2015, Dylann Roof opened fire in a South Carolina church killing 9 and injuring 1 person. Roof admitted to the crime and said he did it in hopes that it would begin a race war.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
