Victims of church shooter Devin Patrick Kelley had “no way” out once his rampage began, a local sheriff said.
The former US Airman unleashed his Ruger AR-style assault rifle through the front door First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, before moving inside to continue his onslaught — leaving terrified congregants little hope to run out the front, according to sheriff Joe Tackitt Jr.
“He just walked down the center aisle, turned around and my understanding was shooting on his way back out,” Tackitt told ABC affiliate KSAT, explaining parishioners had “no way” to escape.
Kelley killed 26 people ages 5 to 72 and injured 20 more in the spree, which came during the small-town church’s Sunday service.
“It’s unbelievable to see children, men and women, laying there. Defenseless people,” Tackitt said, also describing the scene as “terrible.”
The gunman was also carrying a handgun, though it’s unclear whether he used it, according to Tackitt. He also had “several” other guns in his car, investigators said.
A concerned neighbor heard the fracas and fired his own rifle at Kelley, who gave chase. The neighbor jumped in a car with passerby Johnnie Langendorff, and the pair chased Kelley nearly 11 miles to the county line, where he crashed his SUV and the two do-gooders kept an eye on him until police arrived.
Kelley was found dead in his vehicle, but officials aren’t sure if he killed himself or died of a gunshot wound from the concerned citizen. His motive is still unclear, according to investigators.