A gunman who opened fire at a small Texas church on Sunday has killed 26 people and wounded at least 20.
No name has been released and no motive identified for the gunman who was either killed or killed himself following the shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.
鈥淲e believe he鈥檚 a young white male, maybe in his early 20s, dressed in all black tactical type gear,鈥� said Texas Department of Public Safety regional director Freeman Martin.
鈥淗e was wearing a ballistic vest.鈥�
Suspect in Texas church shooting was a "young white male in his early 20s," authorities say. Won't confirm name yet
鈥� Kat Slepian (@katslepian)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot confirmed the number of dead and said he had already spoken to President Donald Trump and both of Texas鈥� senators.
鈥淲e are dealing with the largest mass shooting in our state鈥檚 history,鈥� he said during a press conference Sunday afternoon.
The governor said his thoughts and prayers were with the victims and that 鈥渢he details of this horrific act are still under investigation.鈥�
Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt Jr. thanked the public for their outpouring of support.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have any names of any of the victims,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still trying to work the crime scene.鈥�
Martin said that the shooter was first spotted at a gas station across the street from the church at 11 a.m. local time (9 a.m. PST). This was confirmed after the shooting took place, not before, authorities noted.
He then crossed the street to the church, exited his vehicle and began firing at the church from the outside before entering the building as he continued to shoot.
鈥淎s he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged the suspect,鈥� said Martin.
鈥淭he suspect dropped his rifle 鈥� which was an鈥� AR assault-type rifle 鈥� and fled from the church.鈥�
The local resident followed the suspect as he got into his car and drove off before veering off the road.
The suspect was found dead in his vehicle, although law enforcement could not confirm how he died.
Special agents from ATF鈥檚 Houston Field Division, San Antonio Field Office are responding to a shooting at a church in Sutherland Spring, TX
鈥� ATF HQ (@ATFHQ)
The shooting, which took place at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, is the second mass shooting in the U.S. in less than two months. On Oct. 1, in Las Vegas, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500.
The community of Sutherland Springs, where the population numbers in the hundreds, is a small unincorporated area in Wilson County approximately 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
The wounded were taken to hospitals. Video on KSAT television showed first responders taking a stretcher from the church to a waiting AirLife helicopter. Some victims were taken by medical helicopter to the Brooke Army Medical Center, the station said.
Megan Posey, a spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center, which is in Floresville and about 10 miles from the church, said 鈥渕ultiple鈥� victims were being treated for gunshot wounds. She declined to give a specific number but said it was less than a dozen.
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.
鈥淭his is horrific for our tiny little tight-knit town,鈥� said Alena Berlanga. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 going to be affected and everybody knows someone who鈥檚 affected,鈥� she said.
President Trump, currently in Japan, tweeted to say that the FBI was investigating the shooting.
May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI & law enforcement are on the scene. I am monitoring the situation from Japan.
鈥� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also offered his thoughts and prayers, adding that 鈥渕y office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed.鈥�
Condolences are pouring in on the church鈥檚 Facebook page:
鈥� with files from The Canadian Press
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