Texas shooting: Killer had three guns and was motivated by row with in-laws

Suspected gunman: Devin Kelly
Hatty Collier6 November 2017

The Texas church massacre shooter had three guns and was motivated by a row with his in-laws, officials have said.

Gunman Devin Kelley was wearing a skull mask and a ballistic vest when he carried out the attack on Sunday following a row with his mother-in-law, who attended the church.

A Texas Department of Public Safety official said there was a domestic situation ongoing within the family and his in-laws.

He added that Kelly, who died after he was pursued and shot by a "have-a-go-hero", had sent threatening messages to his mother-in-law prior to the massacre.

The attack on the small church outside of San Antonio during Sunday services left 26 people dead and 20 injured. The youngest victim was 18 months old.

The gunman called his father after being shot by armed bystander Stephen Willeford, 55, and told him he would not survive. Police are still trying to establish if Kelley died from Willeford's shot, or if he committed suicide.

Mr Willeford, a plumber with no military experience, shot Kelley in the side through a gap in his body armour, forcing the killer to flee with a hostage in a 100 miles per hour car chase.

The scene outside the church on Sunday
AP

He is reported to have grabbed his own rifle and rushed to confront the killer after his daughter told him an attack was underway.

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.

Kelley posted pictures of what appear to be automatic weapons on social media
Facebook

On his Facebook page, he appeared to have a fascination with guns, recently sharing a photo of an AR-15 style gun with the caption: "She's a bad b****."

President Donald Trump has praised Mr Willeford for preventing further casualties, ignoring calls to tighten US gun control laws.

Currently on a diplomatic tour of Japan, the president tweeted "May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI and law enforcement are on the scene. I am monitoring the situation from Japan"

He went on to renounce the Texas shooting as a result of a "mental health problem" in America, and not "a guns situation".

He called the shooting an "act of evil".

An FBI official said that there was no terrorism investigation open at this time relating to the church massacre and that the Texas rangers were leading the probe.

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