More Than 27 Feared Dead In Texas After Deadliest Church Shooting In American History

from Zero Hedge:

Update (3:15 pm ET): While the official casualty count has not been released, preliminary estimates that there were between 20 and 30 fatalities would make today’s shooting the deadliest at a US house of worship in modern American history. In addition, some two dozen people were injured.

Update (3:30 pm ET): More details about the shooting are trickling in. A law enforcement source told CNN that a man walked into the church and began shooting about 11:30 a.m. local time. Agents from the San Antonio field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are en route to the scene, the source said. The FBI’s crisis management team is already there assisting investigators.

The Connally Memorial Medical Center in nearby Floresville, Texas, is “accepting and assessing victims” from the Sutherland Springs church shooting, according to hospital spokeswoman Megan Posey. The number of victims is unknown at this time. Several small children are reportedly among the dead.

The shooter was killed after a brief chase north into neighboring Guadalupe County, according Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Robert Murphy. It is unclear if the shooter was killed by police or took his own life, Murphy said. Witnesses say they heard about 20 shots being fired in quick succession while the church service was underway.

Sutherland Springs is in Wilson County, about 30 miles east of San Antonio.

Local media are now reporting that more than 27 people may have been killed.

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Update (3:20 pm ET): President Donald Trump, who arrived in Japan earlier today for the first leg of an 11-day Asia tour, tweeted “May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI & law enforcement are on the scene. I am monitoring the situation from Japan.”

New details about the police response to the shooting are starting to emerge: Police officials told the local NBC affiliate that the shooter was killed following a vehicle pursuit. US Marshalls and the ATF are also reportedly part of the response, which one source said suggests the shooter might have had warrants out for his arrest.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot tweeted that his prayers were with the victims and that an update from the Texas Department of Public Safety would be available soon.

Read More @ ZeroHedge.com