More Than 20 Killed After Gunman Opens Fire in Texas Church

"Our hearts are with the Sutherland Springs community, the victims and their loved ones after yet another horrific act of gun violence," Moms Demand Action wrote on Twitter. (Photo: Caleb Downs/San Antonio Express-News)

More Than 20 Killed After Gunman Opens Fire in Texas Church

"Our hearts are with the Sutherland Springs community, the victims, and their loved ones after yet another horrific act of gun violence."

This is a breaking news story and will likely be updated...

A gunman opened fire inside the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Wilson County, Texas on Sunday, leaving an estimated 25 people dead and 20 more wounded.

The shooter--identified as Devin Kelley--fled to a neighboring county where he was found dead in his vehicle.

Though the number of deaths has not been officially confirmed, the mass shooting could ultimately rank as one of the worst in modern American history.

"Today an unthinkable tragedy occurred in our community," the First Baptist Church of La Vernia, Texas--located several miles from the site of the shooting--wrote on Facebook. "Our sanctuary will be open from 5-7 pm tonight. There will be pastors and leaders present to pray with you or to talk."

Texas lawmakers responded to the mass shooting on social media:

Moms Demand Action, a gun control advocacy group, also responded:

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.