Two people, including the suspect, have died and another was injured after a gunman opened fire at a Texas church on Sunday.
Three people were shot at the West Freeway Church of Christ in Tarrant County, which is west of Fort Worth. According to authorities, two victims have succumbed to their wounds and died, while the other remains in critical condition.
The incident reportedly happened around 10:00 a.m., and the Fort Worth Fire Department sent out an “active threat” assignment around 11:30 a.m.
Witnesses said they saw the gunman shoot someone with a shotgun during communion, which prompted another parishioner to shoot him. However, some outlets reported that an armed security guard “subdued” the suspect.
“It was the most scariest thing. You feel like your life is flashing before you. I was so worried about my little one,” church member Isabel Arreola said.
According to police, the shooter is among the three victims. Mike Drivdahl of the Fort Worth Fire Department said the situation has been “stabilized,” and there is currently no active threat. Macara Trusty, a spokesperson for local ambulance service MedStar, later told BuzzFeed News that the shooter was among the deceased.
The attack was caught on camera because the service was being live-streamed. The video, which has been taken down, showed a person wearing a large coat stand up and pull out a rifle or a shotgun. The shooter then fired twice before another person appeared to shoot back.
#DEVELOPING: Livestream video footage from a church shooting in White Settlement, Texas appears to show that a security guard neutralized a man who opened fire on churchgoers during Sunday service. pic.twitter.com/q8LSEeJ0vH
— Jennifer Franco (@jennfranconews) December 29, 2019
People in the congregation ducked under church pews while others rushed toward the shooter brandishing handguns, as a new state law allowing worshipers to carry firearms in religious locations went in to effect just months ago.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families that were affected by this incident,” Drivdahl said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
