Texas officials: Shooting not motivated by religious beliefs
Texas Department of Public Safety's Freeman Martin answers questions submitted by the media on the investigation into the church massacre.
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has offered to pay for the funeral service costs of all the victims in Sunday’s deadly church shooting in Texas, Fox News has learned.
Twenty-six people were killed and 20 others injured after the shooter, Devin Kelley, stormed into First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs with a Ruger AR rifle and started firing at the congregation.
SBC president Steve Gaines, who heads the network of Christian churches, told Fox News that he was meeting with the church pastor, Frank Pomeroy, on Tuesday to offer up any needed resources.
TEXAS CHURCH SHOOTER DEVIN KELLEY ONCE ESCAPED FROM A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL WHILE IN THE AIR FORCE
Pomeroy and his wife were out of town on the day of the shooting but their 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle, was one of the victims killed in the tragedy.
Also, one unknown member of the SBC has offered to completely rebuild the church following the attack.
The deadly rampage in Texas was the deadliest church shooting in modern U.S. history and the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history, according to Gov. Greg Abbott.
TEXAS CHURCH SHOOTING VICTIMS INCLUDE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER, YOUNG CHILDREN
Kelley was previously enlisted in the U.S. Air Force before being court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his wife and child and ultimately discharged in 2014 for bad conduct, law enforcement officials have said.
However, his criminal history was never submitted to the FBI database like it was supposed to, which allowed Kelley to purchase guns.
Following the shooting, Kelley was confronted by a nearby resident who also had a gun and was shot at least twice. The man chased the suspect down the road in a truck before Kelley ultimately lost control and drove off the road. Authorities later found the shooter dead on the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Fox News’ Matt Finn contributed to this report.
True Crime
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
