More
than 20 people were killed after a gunman walked into a church in a
rural community about 30 miles east of San Antonio and opened fire on
Sunday, an official said.
The
official, Paul W. Pfeil, a Wilson County, Tex., commissioner, said he
did not have a total count of the number of dead in the shooting, which
occurred at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, but he said it was “more than 20.”
Albert
Gamez Jr., another Wilson County commissioner, told CNN that he was
told by the police that the gunman was chased into the next county and
was killed, but it was not clear whether the police shot him or he
killed himself.
Mr. Gamez said he was told by an emergency medical technician that 27 people were dead and 24 others were injured.
He
said the victims were still inside the church. Sutherland Springs is a
small community where everyone knows one another, he said.
He added: “You never expect something like this. My heart is broken.”
The
service at the church last Sunday, which was posted on YouTube, began
with a rendition of a song called “Happiness Is the Lord.”
Image
Then
the pastor, Frank Pomeroy, told his parishioners — 20 to 30 were
visible in the video — to walk around the room and “shake somebody’s
hand.”
“Tell them it’s good to see them in God’s house this morning,” he said.
Videos
posted online show lyrics to the hymns appearing on television screens
with parishioners playing electric guitars and a sign language
interpreter translating the songs.
Devin Keen, a constable in Wilson County, said “there were kids involved” in the shooting at the church.
Sheriff Joe Tackitt of Wilson County told The Wilson County News that a man had entered the church and begun firing.
Megan
Posey, a spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center in
Floresville, Tex., said that she did not know exactly how many patients
the hospital had received, but that it was continuing to receive more.
The
hospital has activated its emergency response team, she said.
Information about the conditions of patients was not immediately
available.
“We’re
sending more officers on the streets to help secure Connally Memorial
while they’re bringing the casualties to the hospital,” Constable Keen
said.
Joseph
Silva, 49, who lives about five miles northeast of Sutherland Springs,
said the police had instructed his family and neighbors to stay indoors.
In a phone interview on Sunday afternoon, he described Sutherland Springs as “a one-blinking-light town.”
“There is a gas station and a post office,” he said. “That’s about all there really is.”
Mr. Silva said he had been approached by a woman who said she had two loved ones at the church who were shot.
“There
are a number of individuals just weeping and just wanted to know what’s
happened to their loved ones,” he said. “Everybody is pretty
grief-stricken. Everyone’s worried.”
The First Baptist Church of La Vernia, Tex., about seven miles away, wrote on Facebook that it would open its doors from 5 to 7 p.m.
“Today
an unthinkable tragedy occurred in our community,” the church wrote.
“There will be Pastors and leaders present to pray with you or to talk,
and the altar will be open for us to fall at the feet of Jesus.”
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said on Twitter: “Our prayers are with all who were harmed by this evil act. Our thanks to law enforcement for their response.”
Ken
Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, said in a statement: “The
thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with the people of Sutherland
Springs as tragic reports come out of First Baptist Church. My office
stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed.”
On
Facebook, a user described the church: “It is such a warm and welcoming
church that is truly filled with the Holy Spirit and shows real
Christian love and friendship.”
Correction:
An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of a Wilson County commissioner. He is Albert Gamez Jr., not Gamaz.
Maggie Astor, Christina Caron and Zach Johnk contributed reporting.
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