Man Who Shot Church Gunman, Jack Wilson Awarded Governor's Medal of Courage
TEXAS (CBSDFW/AP) - Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has presented the state's highest civilian honor to a 71-year-old man who shot and killed a gunman who opened fire at a church in December.
Abbott on Monday gave Jack Wilson the Governor's Medal of Courage.
Wilson is a firearms instructor who trained the West Freeway Church of Christ's volunteer security team. He shot the attacker once in the head after the gunman opened fire with a shotgun in the church's sanctuary.
"I don't feel like I killed an individual. I feel like I killed evil. That's how I'm approaching it and that's how I'm processing it," Wilson said a day after the shooting.
The two victims who died were Anton "Tony" Wallace and Richard White. Many praised Wilson for his quick actions that possibly prevented more victims.
"This church had its own security team. They were well-trained," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said on the day of the shooting. "The heroism today was unparalleled. The team responded quickly and within six seconds the shooting was over."
Authorities later identified the attacker as 43-year-old Keith Thomas Kinnunen, who had a history of criminal and psychological trouble.
