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Tuesday 7 November 2017
‘Let’s go’: Church gunman sent hostile

Two men chase down Texas church shooter text messages before attack

By WILL WEISSERT Kelley’s vehicle in a chase ing anymore and not able By JIM VERTUNO
JIM VERTUNO that clocked speeds up- to hurt anyone else. I feel I Associated Press
Associated Press wards of 90 mph. just did what was right.” SUTHERLAND SPRINGS,
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Tex- Texas Department of Pub- While Langendorff did not Texas (AP) — The gunman
as (AP) — A barefoot Texas lic Safety Regional Director identify the man who re- who killed 26 people at a
man who grabbed his rifle Freeman Martin said at a turned gunfire with Kelly small-town Texas church
and opened fire on the news conference Monday before jumping into his sent threatening text mes-
sages to his mother-in-law
before the attack, which
appeared to have been
driven by domestic ten-
sions, authorities said Mon-
day.
A day after the deadli-
est mass shooting in state This photo shows Devin Kelley,
history, investigators also the suspect in the shooting
revealed that the shoot- at the First Baptist Church in
er had been confronted Sutherland Springs, Texas, on
about domestic violence Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017.
(Texas DPS via AP)
at least twice in the last five
years, including an assault that Kelley had displayed
on his ex-wife and a child a pattern of violence span-
that ended his Air Force ning years.
career and another re- In 2014, sheriff’s deputies
port of violence against a went to his home to check
girlfriend who became his out a domestic violence
second wife. complaint involving him
In the tiny community of and his then-girlfriend. Peo-
Sutherland Springs, popu- ple in the house said there
lation 400, grieving towns- was no problem, and no
people were reeling from arrests were made. Kelley
their losses. The dead married the girlfriend two
Johnnie Langendorff speaks to members of the media about the mass shooting at the First Baptist
Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. Langendorff said he and another ranged from 18 months to months later.
man chased down the gunman after he fled the church where he killed more than 20 people and 77 years old and included That same year, Kelley was
injured others. multiple members of some discharged from the Air
(Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) families. Force for the assaulting in-
gunman who slaughtered that the armed resident truck, Sutherland Springs “Our church was not com- volving his previous wife.
26 people at a small-town riding with Langendorff resident Julius Kepper said prised of members or pa- He had served 12 months
church was hailed as a was toting an “AR assault the man was his neighbor, rishioners. We were a very of confinement after a
hero Monday, along with rifle and engaged” the Stephen Willeford, whom close family,” said Sherri 2012 court-martial.
the pickup truck driver who shooter. he has lived next door to for Pomeroy, the wife of the He was also charged with
helped chase the killer Langendorff said Kelley about seven years. Kepper church pastor, who was misdemeanor animal cru-
down. eventually lost control of said he was home when out of town with her hus- elty in 2014 in Colorado
Johnnie Langendorff said his vehicle and crashed, the shooting started Sun- band when the attack and was the focus of a
he was driving to Suther- prompting the armed day and heard Willeford happened. “Now most of protective order issued in
land Springs on Sunday resident to cautiously ap- exchange gunfire, but by our church family is gone.” that state in 2015.
to pick up his girlfriend proach the vehicle with the time he got out of his The couple’s 14-year- The gunman’s family rela-
when a man who’d been his gun drawn. But Kelley house and looked around old daughter, Annabelle tionships at the First Bap-
exchanging gunfire with didn’t move. police already were arriv- Pomeroy, was among tist Church in Sutherland
Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, Police arrived about five ing. those killed. Springs were uncertain. The
suddenly landed inside his minutes later, said Langen- Kepper described Willeford The massacre appeared to sheriff said the shooter’s
pickup truck. dorff, who did not know if as a gun and motorcycle stem from a domestic situ- former in-laws sometimes
“He jumped in my truck the resident had wounded enthusiast who regularly ation and was not racially attended services at the
and said, ‘He just shot up Kelley during their earlier takes target practice at or religiously motivated, church but were not there
the church, we need to go gunfire exchange. Based property out in the country, Texas Department of Pub- on Sunday. Martin said the
get him.’ on evidence at the scene, and has as many as five lic Safety Regional Director text messages were sent
And I said, ‘Let’s go,’” Lan- investigators believe Kelley Harley Davidsons. Freeman Martin said. to the gunman’s mother-
gendorff, a 27-year-old died of a self-inflicted gun- “Avid gun collector, a Based on evidence at the in-law, who attended the
Seguin resident, told The shot wound. good guy,” Kepper said. scene, investigators be- church. It was unclear if
Associated Press on Mon- “There was no thinking Kepper and other neigh- lieve Devin Patrick Kelley they were referring to the
day. about it,” Langendorff bors said Willeford’s family died of a self-inflicted gun- same people.
Langendorrf said he didn’t said. “There was just do- has been in the Sutherland shot wound after he was Once the shooting started,
know the name of the ing. That was the key to all Springs area for at least chased by bystanders, one there was probably “no
armed resident who had this. Act now. Ask questions three generations, includ- of whom was armed, and way” for congregants to
sheltered behind a parked later.” ing a father and grand- crashed his car. escape, Wilson County
pickup truck while ex- Asked if he felt like a hero, father who were in dairy The 26-year-old shooter Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt Jr.
changing gunfire with Kel- Langendorff said: “I don’t farming. Stephen Willeford also used his cellphone to said.
ley. really know how I feel. I just is married with two grown tell his father he had been The gunman, dressed in
But when the armed resi- hope that the families and children and works as a shot and did not think he black tactical gear, fired
dent jumped into Langen- people affected by this plumber who installs lines would survive, authorities an assault rifle as he walked
dorff’s truck, the pair im- can sleep easier knowing on major projects such as said. down the center aisle dur-
mediately began pursuit of that this man is not breath- hospitals, Kepper said.q The investigation showed ing worship services. q