Texas Gunman's Ex-In-Law's Attended Targeted Church
SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) -- A sheriff says the former in-laws of a man suspected of killing 26 people at a Texas church attended services there "from time to time."
Wilson County Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt Jr. told CNN Monday morning that the former in-laws weren't in attendance Sunday when the shooting occurred. He says it wasn't clear why the gunman picked that day for the shooting.
The mass shooting occurred Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. About 20 others were wounded in the attack.
Two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity identified the gunman as Devin Kelley. An Air Force spokeswoman said records confirm Kelley received a bad conduct discharge after being court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his spouse and child.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is suggesting there may have been a connection between the gunman who shot and killed 26 people in a South Texas community and the Baptist church where the slayings happened.
Abbott tells ABC's "Good Morning America" he expects people will learn about any such link "in a few days." He said he didn't want to go further, saying "law enforcement is looking very aggressively into this."
"I don't think this was just a random act of violence," Abbott told anchor George Stephanopoulos. But when pressed to elaborate on his connection theory, the governor replied that "it's very important that law enforcement have the ability ... to tie the loose ends of this investigation up."
He called the man, identified by a U.S. official and one in law enforcement as Devin Kelley, "a very deranged individual."
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Authorities say a gunman armed with an assault rifle opened fire inside a small South Texas church, killing 26 people who ranged in age from 5 to 72.
The mass shooting occurred Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, about 30 miles southeast of San Antonio. About 20 others were wounded in the attack.
Two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity identified the gunman as Devin Kelley. An Air Force spokeswoman said records confirm Kelley received a bad conduct discharge after being court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his spouse and child.
Wilson County Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt Jr. described the scene inside the church as "terrible."
Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the attack.
