Mike Pence says US Air Force 'failures' partly to blame for Texas church shooting

Vice President Mike Pence arrives in Texas
REUTERS
Tom Powell9 November 2017

US Vice President Mike Pence has said the American Air Force is partly to blame for the mass shooting at a small church in Texas which left 26 dead.

Mr Pence spoke at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon outside the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, where the shootings happened.

He criticised the Air Force for failing to record information about gunman Devin Kelley’s criminal history that could have blocked him from buying a gun.

He said: “We now know it was a crime that the assailant was ever able to purchase a firearm in the first place.

Investigators at the scene of the mass shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs
AP

“He lied on his application, had a history of mental illness and there were bureaucratic failures.

“I’m informed by Sec. Heather Wilson that the Air Force is moving aggressively to review why this error occurred and that review will be completed in days, not weeks.”

Mr Pence began his trip to Texas by visiting Brooke Army Medical Centre at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio to meet with victims wounded in the shooting.

Devin Kelley

Then he, his wife and Texas officials met with victims' families, first-responders and two men who pursued the gunman.

Mr Pence said President Donald Trump had authorised a full complement of federal resources to the investigation, including 100 on-site FBI agents.

Ex-airman Kelley killed 26 people and injured another 20 when he attacked a church outside San Antonio.

It has since been revealed he was court-martialled for domestic violence in 2012 and barred from owning or buying guns.

However, last year he was able to purchase the rifle he used in Sunday’s attack, which was reportedly motivated by a row with his in-laws.

He was found dead in his car after being chased from the church by armed bystanders. Police said he died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound.

The Air Force said in a statement: "Initial information indicates that Kelley's domestic violence offense was not entered into the National Criminal Information Center database by the Holloman Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations."

It said an investigation had been launched into the failure, in conjunction with the Department of Defense.

Kelley is believed to have been dishonourably discharged from the Air Force for allegedly assaulting his spouse and child, and was sentenced to 12 months' confinement after a 2012 court-martial.

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