Local Armed Citizen Stopped Texas Church Shooting by Firing at Suspect

 

The hero who stopped the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas today is reportedly a local citizen — not a first responder or police officer — as he used his own firearm to engage and ultimately wound the gunman.

Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Freeman Martin reported this information at a presser on the incident, saying:

“At approximately 11:20 this morning a suspect was seen at a Valero gas station in Sutherland Springs, Texas. He was dressed in all black. That suspect crossed the street to the church, exited his vehicle and began firing at the church. That suspect then moved to the right side of the church and then continued to fire. That suspect entered the church and continued to fire. As he exited the church, a local resident grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect. The suspect dropped his rifle, which was a Ruger AR assault-type rifle and fled from the church.”

Freemen went on to say that the armed local “pursued” the suspect until he “was found deceased in his vehicle.”

“At this time we don’t know if it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound or if he was shot by the local resident. We know he’s deceased in the vehicle,” he added.

Devin Patrick Kelley, the reported culprit, has been identified by CBS News, but the local resident who stopped the carnage with a shotgun has not. Additionally, Kelley was discharged over bad-conduct from the US Air Force and subsequently court martialed. Per The Daily Beast, Kelley was charged with a misdemeanor for domestic violence — which can trigger the loss of Second Amendment rights.

Watch above via CNN.

Editor’s Note – A previous version of this post stated Kelley was “dishonorably discharged” — which would have prohibited him from purchasing a firearm. However, conflicting reports suggest he was discharged over “bad-conduct,” but his right to legally own a firearm may have been overturned as Kelley was convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. 

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Caleb Ecarma was a reporter at Mediaite. Email him here: caleb@mediaite.com Follow him on Twitter here: @calebecarma