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Shooting at Texas Church Leaves 2 Dead and 1 Critically Wounded, Officials Say Shooting at Texas Church Leaves 2 Dead and 1 Critically Wounded, Officials Say
(about 2 hours later)
WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A gunman opened fire at a church in Texas on Sunday morning, killing one person and critically wounding another before a member of the church’s security team fatally shot him, the authorities and witnesses said. WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas — A gunman opened fire at a church in Texas on Sunday morning, killing one person and critically wounding another before a member of its volunteer security team fatally shot him, the authorities and witnesses said.
Between 250 and 300 people were inside the auditorium of West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, near Fort Worth, when the gunman opened fire just before communion, said Jack Cummings, a minister at the church. Between 250 and 300 people were inside the auditorium of the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, near Fort Worth, when the gunman began shooting just before communion, said Jack Cummings, a minister at the church.
Mr. Cummings said the gunman was “acting suspiciously” before the shooting and drew the attention of the church’s security team. A member of the security team was killed, he said. Mr. Cummings said the gunman was “acting suspiciously” before the shooting and drew the attention of the church’s security team. The team, he said, has existed for at least 10 years and is made up of members of the church’s congregation who are licensed to carry firearms and practice shooting regularly.
“They saved a lot of lives today,” Mr. Cummings said. “Because this thing would have been a massacre otherwise.”“They saved a lot of lives today,” Mr. Cummings said. “Because this thing would have been a massacre otherwise.”
The team is made up of volunteers who are members of the church’s congregation. They are licensed to carry firearms and practice shooting regularly, Mr. Cummings said. A member of the security team was killed in the attack, he said.
Mike Tinius, an elder at the church, said that he had known the member of the security team who was killed for more than 20 years. Mike Tinius, an elder at the church, said he had known that victim for more than 20 years. “He was trying to do what he needed to do to protect the rest of us,” Mr. Tinius said, adding, “It’s extremely upsetting to see anyone committing violence.”
“He was trying to do what he needed to do to protect the rest of us,” Mr. Tinius said, adding, “It’s extremely upsetting to see anyone committing violence.” The shooting was captured on video because the church regularly posts its services online.
Macara Trusty, a spokeswoman for MedStar Mobile Healthcare, an ambulance provider, said one person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Two other people were treated for minor injuries at the scene, she said. In the video, the gunman stands up during a quiet moment and briefly talks with someone leaning against a wall. He then steps back and begins firing. Congregants crouch down in their pews. After a third loud bang, the gunman slumps to the ground as people scream.
The shooting was captured on a video of the service. The church regularly posts its services online.
The gunman can be seen standing to the side of the pews and firing toward other individuals who are standing. In a matter of seconds, three loud bangs can be heard. Congregants crouch down in their pews. After the third bang, the gunman slumps to the ground as congregants scream.
“He was immediately hit by one of our marksmen,” Mr. Cummings said. “The next thing I know, he was lying on the floor.”“He was immediately hit by one of our marksmen,” Mr. Cummings said. “The next thing I know, he was lying on the floor.”
It was not immediately clear whether there was a connection between the gunman and the church or if the church had been targeted. When the police received reports of shots fired, off-duty officers down the street quickly responded and found an active shooting scene, said Mike Drivdahl, a spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department.
It was not immediately clear whether there was a connection between the gunman and the church or if the church had been targeted. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said on Twitter that it was sending agents to the scene.
“We are working very hard to find a motive, to get to the bottom of what happened,” Matthew J. DeSarno, the F.B.I.’s special agent in charge in Dallas, said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.“We are working very hard to find a motive, to get to the bottom of what happened,” Matthew J. DeSarno, the F.B.I.’s special agent in charge in Dallas, said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Cummings said the church has had a security team for about 10 to 15 years because of “the fact that people go into schools and shoot people.” Mr. Cummings said the church had added a security team because of “the fact that people go into schools and shoot people.”
“We got a history in this nation of people doing this,” he said.“We got a history in this nation of people doing this,” he said.
Hours after the shooting, police cars surrounded the church while a helicopter hovered overhead and people leaned over yellow police tape at a nearby Waffle House. Officers brought packages of bottled water as federal agents huddled in conversation. Houses of worship have been attacked several times in recent years, including shootings at synagogues in Poway, Calif., and Pittsburgh. On Saturday night in Monsey, N.Y., a man with a large knife burst into the home of a Hasidic rabbi, stabbing and wounding five people who were celebrating Hanukkah.
John Richardson, a congregant, said he had put his wife, who uses a wheelchair, on the ground and got on top of her after hearing gunfire. When he looked up, several members of church security had their guns drawn. Texas churches have also experienced such violence. In 1999, a gunman killed seven people and himself at a Baptist church in Fort Worth. And in 2017, a gunman carrying a military-style rifle and wearing a ballistic vest opened fire at a small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, killing 26 people.
“My heart goes out to his family,” he said of the gunman, adding, “I don’t have any hate for this person.” “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,” Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said in a statement about Sunday’s shooting.
The police received reports of shots fired on Sunday morning, Mike Drivdahl, a spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department, said. Off-duty officers down the street quickly responded and found an active shooting scene, Mr. Drivdahl said.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said on Twitter that it was sending agents to the scene.
Last week at the West Freeway Church of Christ, congregants filled the wooden pews and sang together, according to a video of the service. Children ran to the stage to talk about why they were excited for Christmas, and after Brandon Kaag, a minister, spoke about the benefits of pruning parts of life that no longer bear fruit, the congregation broke into song again. The church ended the service on a note of accepting and giving love to others.
“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,” Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said in a statement on Sunday.
The New York Police Department and its Counterterrorism Bureau said on Twitter that they were monitoring developments in the church shooting. The department was already stepping up patrols after reports of eight anti-Semitic attacks in the city in the last two weeks.
On Saturday night, in Monsey, N.Y., in Rockland County, a man with a large knife burst into the home of a Hasidic rabbi, stabbing and wounding five people.
Churches in Texas have been scenes of violence before. In 1999, a gunman killed seven people and himself at a Baptist church in Fort Worth. In 2017, a gunman clad in all black, and with a ballistic vest strapped to his chest and a military-style rifle in his hands, opened fire at a small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, killing 26 people.
A Texas bill that took effect in September allows licensed handgun owners to carry those weapons in churches, synagogues and other places of worship.A Texas bill that took effect in September allows licensed handgun owners to carry those weapons in churches, synagogues and other places of worship.
Patrick McGee reported from Fort Worth, and Mihir Zaveri from New York. Jason M. Bailey, Sandra E. Garcia, Christopher Mele, Mariel Padilla and Vanessa Swales contributed reporting from New York, and Dave Montgomery from Austin, Texas. Hours after the attack, police cars surrounded the church while a helicopter hovered overhead and people leaned over yellow police tape at a nearby Waffle House. Officers brought in packages of bottled water as federal agents huddled in conversation. The Salvation Army gave out coffee from a truck.
John Richardson, a congregant, said he had put his wife, who uses a wheelchair, on the ground and got on top of her after hearing the initial gunfire. When he looked up, several members of church security had their guns drawn.
“My heart goes out to his family,” he said of the gunman, adding, “I don’t have any hate for this person.”
Last week at the West Freeway Church of Christ, congregants filled the wooden pews and sang together, according to a video of the service. Children ran to the stage to talk about why they were excited for Christmas, and a minister spoke about the benefits of pruning parts of life that no longer bear fruit.
The church concluded that service on a note of accepting and giving love to others.
Its next Sunday service ended in gunfire.
“We are continuing to hold on to what we believe,” Mr. Tinius said. “That doesn’t change.”
Patrick McGee reported from White Settlement, and Mihir Zaveri from New York. Jason M. Bailey, Sandra E. Garcia, Christopher Mele, Mariel Padilla and Vanessa Swales contributed reporting from New York, and Dave Montgomery from Austin, Texas.