At least 26 worshippers, including a five-year-old and a pregnant woman, were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a small church in a quiet Texas town on Sunday. America's latest mass shooting happened during a Sunday service at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a community of 400 people about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. The victims ranged in age from 5 to 72 years old, with a two-year-old reportedly among the wounded. The suspected gunman was later found dead in his vehicle some miles away. US media named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26. Kelley is reported to have been discharged from the US Air Force in 2014 following a court-martial for assaulting his wife and child. The gunman was dressed all in black tactical gear with a ballistic vest and had an assault rifle, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Freeman Martin said. He said the gunman arrived at a gas station across from the church at around 11:20 a.m. He crossed the street and started firing a Ruger AR rifle at the church, and continued after entering the building. Devin Kelley, 26, the alleged Sutherland Springs shooter Credit: FACEBOOK Civilians 'chased after gunman' As he left, he was confronted by an armed resident who chased him in a car, along with another local man. One of them said when they caught up with him, the car went off the road. Emergency personnel load a wounded person on an helicopter following a fatal shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas Credit: KSAT12 Police soon arrived and the suspect was found dead in his vehicle at the county line, Martin said. There were several weapons inside. Martin said it's unclear if the attacker died of a self-inflected wound or if he was shot by the resident who confronted him. Sutherland Springs shooting, in pictures A total of 23 victims were found dead in the church, two were found outside the church, and one person died in hospital. About 20 others were injured. No motive was given for what Mr Abbott said was the worst mass shooting in modern Texas history. “There are no words to describe the pure evil that we witnessed in Sutherland Springs today,” Mr Abbott said. “Our hearts are heavy at the anguish in this small town, but in time of tragedy, we see the very best of Texas. May God comfort those who've lost a loved one, and may God heal the hurt in our communities.” Details emerge about gunman The gunman was named by US media outlets as Devin Kelley, 26, who lived in San Antonio. Kelley was dishonourably discharged from the Air Force after facing a court martial, CBS News reported. A candlelight vigil is held for the victims of a fatal shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs Credit: AP An Air Force spokeswoman, Ann Stefane, said he was discharged for allegedly assaulting his wife and child. She said he was sentenced to 12 months' confinement after a 2012 court-martial. He ultimately received a bad conduct discharge and reduction in rank. Kelley's Facebook page has been deleted, but cached photos show a profile picture where he appeared with two small children. He also posted a photo of what appeared to be an assault rifle, writing a post that read: “she's a bad bitch.” Responding overnight Donald Trump has said the gunman had a “mental health problem” and that this “isn’t a guns situation.” “Preliminary reports show a very deranged individual who’s been having a problem for a very long time,” he said. “We have a lot of mental health problems in our country.” “This isn’t a guns situation.” Pastor's teen daughter among victims Among the victims was the teenage daughter of the pastor at the small Texas church. Pastor Frank Pomeroy said he and his wife Sherri were out of town when the attack happened at the First Baptist Church but their 14-year-old daughter Annabelle was among more than 20 killed. Annabelle “was one very beautiful, special child,” Mr Pomeroy told ABC News. His wife said “many friends” had died. Pregnant woman feared dead A congregant who wasn't at a Texas church when a gunman opened fire says his pregnant cousin and her in-laws were among those killed. Nick Uhlig said that his cousin Crystal Holcombe and her in-laws Karla and Bryan Holcombe died in Sunday's attack at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Crystal Holcombe was eight months pregnant. Uhlig says Bryan Holcombe did prison ministry, adding that he would go to the prison with a ukulele and sing for the inmates. Uhlig earlier said that he was not at church on Sunday because he was out late on Saturday. Other victims, some of whom were evacuated by helicopter, included a six-year-old boy named Rylan who was in surgery after being shot four times, his uncle told CBS News. A two-year-old was also shot and wounded, The Dallas Morning News reported. Trump: shooting result of a mental health problem US President Donald Trump on Monday condemned what he described as a “horrific shooting”. He said the mass killing was the result of a “mental health problem at the highest level”. He also described the gunman as a “very deranged individual”. “This act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of worship. Our hearts are broken,” Mr Trump said on a visit to Japan. Donald Trump condemns Texas church shooting as 'act of evil' 01:15 “Americans do what we do best, we pull together,” Mr Trump said at the start of a meeting with business leaders. “We stand strong, oh so strong.” He added federal authorities would help Texas in the aftermath of the shooting and that all of America was praying to God. We grieve with all the families in Sutherland Springs harmed by this act of hatred, and we’ll stand with the survivors as they recover…— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2017 May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2017 Barack Obama, the former president, appealed for “concrete steps” to be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future. Theresa May, the Prime Minister, tweeted: “Tragic loss of life in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Thoughts and prayers with all those affected by this terrible shooting.” There was no escape A sheriff says there was likely “no way” for parishioners to escape once shooting started at the Texas church. Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt Jr. said Sunday night that the shooter fired several shots outside before entering the Sutherland Springs church and walking toward the front of the congregation. Tackitt says the gunman then turned around and opened fire on his way back out the front door. Tackitt says “I don't think they could have escaped. You've got your pews on either side.” The sheriff did not name the shooter, but officials identified the gunman to The Associated Press as Devin Kelley. Tackitt says investigators have not yet determined a motive for the attack. Civilians praised for confronting gunman A man who said he pursued the gunman in a Texas church shooting says he was acting on instinct to try to prevent the suspect from escaping. Johnnie Langendorff told KSAT television that he was driving past the church as the shooting happened and he saw the gunman exchanging fire with a member of the community. Johnnie Langendorff has been praised as a hero after they were able to stop Texas gunman Devin Kelley's rampage Credit: He said the member of the community asked for help and got into Langendorff's truck. They took off at high speed in pursuit of the gunman on a nearby highway as police were going in the opposite direction toward the church. Langendorff said the gunman eventually lost control of his vehicle and crashed. He said the other civilian walked up to the vehicle with his gun drawn and the suspect did not move. He stood guard over the gunman until police arrived 5 to 7 minutes later. Stephen Willeford Credit: Langendorff says: “I was strictly just acting on what's the right thing to do.” Social media users have heaped praise on Langendorff. One wrote on his Facebook page: “Well done, Johnnie! You’re a true patriot and a hero. Thank you for coming to the aid of those in need, at such a terrible time.” Law enforcement officials work the scene of a fatal shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas Credit: Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP Sunday services at the small white church are usually attended by about 50 people, local residents said. Wilson County Commissioner Albert Gamez Jr said his “heart is broken”. “You never think this can happen but it can, it doesn't matter where you're at. Look at what can happen. It's a tragic day, massive.” He added: “The gunman took off. They were in a pursuit. They told me he's deceased, I don't know if he shot himself or not. 'People all know each other' “It's a small community, small church, real nice community. Man, you never expect something like this. We don't know what would inspire a guy to start shooting like that. “I got a call and they told me there was a big scene going on with a lot of shooting. The details are sketchy, we're trying to find out what's gone on.” Emergency personnel respond to a fatal shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas Credit: KSAT via AP One witness, a cashier at a petrol station over the road from the church, said she heard dozens of shots being fired in rapid succession while the church service was going on. Carrie Matula said: “We heard semi-automatic gunfire. We're only about 50 yards away from this church. This is a very small community so everyone was very curious as to what was going on.” Dana Fletcher, a nearby shopkeeper, said: “It's a little church in a very small community, I don't know why it would be targeted. It's a very tight knit community. People all know each other.” She added: “People weren't sure whether there was more than one gunman.” The shooting came just over a month after a gunman in Las Vegas, firing down from a hotel room, killed 58 people and wounded hundreds attending an outdoor concert. Two years ago a white supremacist, Dylann Roof, entered a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and shot nine people to death. Local TV images as police look at the alleged gunman's car A spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Centre in Floresville, near Sutherland Springs, said: “We have accepted a number of patients from the shooting”. Helicopters and emergency personnel converged on the scene along with agents form the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ted Cruz, the Texas Senator, said: “Keeping all harmed in Sutherland Springs in our prayers and grateful for our brave first responders on the scene.” A woman who lives about 10 minutes away from Sutherland Springs in Floresville and was monitoring the chaos on a police scanner and in Facebook community groups, said that everyone knows everyone in the sparsely populated county. “This is horrific for our tiny little tight-knit town,” said Alena Berlanga. “Everybody's going to be affected and everybody knows someone who's affected,” she said.
