Two people have been killed and another person is in critical condition after a shooting at a Texas church Sunday morning, according to reports.
The shooting took place at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement. According to MedStar Mobile Healthcare spokeswoman Macara Trusty, two men were fatally shot and the other male is being treated at a nearby hospital, the Associated Press reports. Churchgoers quickly acted to prevent the shooter from taking any more lives. The shooter, who was reportedly wearing a cloak and hood, was shot and killed by a church security guard.
"I am grateful for the church members who acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. "Cecilia and I ask all Texans to join us in praying for the White Settlement community and for all those affected by this horrible tragedy."
Warning: The video below is graphic.
Jeoff Williams, a regional director with the Texas Department of Public Safety, noted that the country appears to have "actually gotten used to" the active shooter situations in a news conference.
"Unfortunately, this country has seen so many of these that we’ve actually gotten used to it at this point. And it’s tragic and it’s a terrible situation, especially during the holiday season," Williams said. "I would like to point out that we have a couple of heroic parishioners who stopped short of just anything that you can even imagine, saved countless lives, and our hearts are going out to them and their families as well."
One of those individuals who jumped in to take down the shooter was a security guard, who churchgoer Mike Tinius called a "dear friend."
"He was trying to do what he needed to do to protect the rest of us," Tinius told The New York Times. "It’s extremely upsetting to see anyone committing violence."
