The Texas Baptist church shooter had family connections to the church where he killed at least 26 in the morning of Sunday, 5th Nov., in what is now the worst mass shooting in the state’s history.
Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackett told reporters today that Devin Patrick Kelley’s in-laws attended the First Baptist Church…
They attend the church located in Sutherland Springs ‘from time to time’ but weren’t in attendance when he unleashed a firestorm of bullets during Sunday morning’s service. Tackett told CNN that Kelley and his wife Danielle were estranged, but wouldn’t go into further details.
As of Monday, Danielle’s Facebook profile still listed her relationship status as ‘married’ and photos on the account show her with two young kids – a baby girl and an older boy.
Sheriff Tackett said the family came to the church after the massacre to speak to investigators.
A neighbor, Mark Moravitz, told ABC News that Kelley lived at his parents’ home in New Braunfels with his wife. He said that he would sometimes hear gunshots coming for near the house late at night.
Marriage records show the couple tied the knot in Comal County, Texas on April 4, 2014, when Kelley was 23 and his bride was 19.
Public records show he was also married once before to a Tessa K Kelley, who he married in April 2011. Kelley and his other wife divorced a year later – the same year that he was court-martialed for domestic violence.
Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said Kelley was court-martialed on one count of assault on his spouse and another count of assault on their child. He was sentenced to 12 months’ confinement, a reduction in rank and was discharged for bad conduct two years later.
According to Daily Mail, Kelley walked into the First Baptist Church, dressed in black, tactical gear with a ballistics belt and an assault rifle, and began shooting Sunday morning.
The attack only stopped when Kelley was confronted by local hero Stephen Willeford, 55, who shot him through a gap in his body armor as the gunman tried to leave the church. Kelley fled in his car, where he proceeded to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head.
At least 26 people were killed in the shooting, but the death toll is expected to climb, authorities say. Victims include a two-year-old girl and the 14-year-old adopted daughter of the pastor.
Eight members of one family, including a eight-months-pregnant mother and three of her children were killed. The Connally Memorial Medical Center said ‘multiple’ victims are being treated.
Horrific details…
Wilson County Sheriff Joe D. Tackitt Jr. said: ‘He (Kelley) just walked down the center aisle, turned around and my understanding was shooting on his way back out. It’s unbelievable to see children, men and women, laying there. Defenseless people.’
What we know about the shooter…
- Named as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26-year-old white male, of New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio.
- Was found dead in a crashed car after a brief chase following the shooting
- Officials say he committed sucide by shooting himself in the head
- Was dressed in all black, tactical gear with a ballistics belt and multiple weapons in his car
- Fired outside the church, then went into the church and continued to fire
- Resident near the church intervened, and knocked the gun out of Kelley’s hands, then chased him in his car
- Kelley showed off an AR-15 rifle on Facebook recently
- Served in the military in ‘cargo, demand and supply and distribution’ but was dishonorably discharged
- Was estranged from his wife who used to teach at the school and whose family were parishioners there
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