Dozens killed as gunman fires on church

Twenty-six people were killed after a man walked into a church in southeastern Texas on Sunday morning and opened fire, according to the governor of Texas.

Another 20 were wounded at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small town with under 1,000 residents, according to mysanantonio.com.

It was the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history, which Governor Greg Abbott called an "evil act".

A public safety official said the dead ranged in age from 5 to 72. Twenty-three people were found dead in the church, two outside, and one died after being taken to a hospital.

The gunman, who was dressed in combat gear, was identified in various media reports as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, of New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio.

Investigators are looking at social media posts he made before the carnage, including one that appeared to show an AR-15 semiautomatic weapon.

Authorities said a civilian with a gun confronted the attacker and chased him away. The gunman was later found dead of a gunshot wound in his vehicle in Guadalupe County.

Kelley's LinkedIn account states he joined the US Air Force after graduating high school in 2009. He worked in logistics and supply in the Air Force and was dishonorably discharged in 2014. He also was court martialed in May 2014, according to CBS News.

Among those killed was the 14-year-old daughter of the church's pastor, Frank Pomeroy, and his wife, Sherri. Mrs. Pomeroy texted the AP that she and her husband were in two different states when the attack occurred.

US President Donald Trump expressed condolences for the victims on Twitter.

"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," he said.

"We're shocked. Shocked and dismayed," said state Senator Judith Zaffirini, whose district includes Sutherland Springs. "It's especially shocking when it's such a small, serene area. These rural areas, they are so beautiful and so loving."

Amanda Mosel's 13-year-old goddaughter was shot to death. The 34-year-old stood outside the Sutherland Springs Community Building where citizens gathered after the shooting. Mosel said she "sadly" didn't attend the church service.

"There's maybe 50 of us," she said. "It's a small, tight-knit church."

A Sutherland Springs resident who lives near the church said the gunshots sounded like "somebody was banging a piece of wood", and she wasn't sure what the noises were at first, according to mysanantonio.com. She heard a series of "pop-pop-pop" sounds, then a pause, then another burst of pops, according to the website.

Sutherland Springs is about 20 miles east of San Antonio, and according to Census data has a population of 643.

"This is horrific for our tiny little tight-knit town," said Alena Berlanga of Floresville. "Everybody's going to be affected and everybody knows someone who's affected," she said.

The church has posted videos of its Sunday services on YouTube, which means it's possible the shooting was videotaped.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.