Gunman Opens Fire at Ft. Worth-Area Church, Taken Down by Church Member

Two are dead, one critically injured. Thankfully, the quick response avoided further loss of life.

By The Stream Published on December 29, 2019

Another house of worship comes under fire. A massacre was avoided Sunday at a Fort Worth-area church when an armed church member quickly stopped a gunman who stood up during services and opened fired. 

Two people were killed, another critically injured. Fox 4 reports the gunman is among the dead, but this has not been confirmed. 

The shooting took place at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas. The church was live-streaming their service at the time. 

The video shows a man in a long coat standing up and put out what appears to be a rifle. A witness told CBS 11 it was a shotgun. The shooter appears to fire twice before another church member appears to fire back. 

As KENS 5 reported, “Many people in the congregation ducked under church pews while others rushed toward the shooter, holding up handguns.”

From the pulpit, a church leader urges calm, “Everything is under control. Our security team did everything they needed to do. … “We had a gentleman that came in armed to do harm.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement:

Our hearts go out to the victims and families of those killed in the evil act of violence that occurred at the West Freeway Church of Christ. Places of worship are meant to be sacred, and I am grateful for the church members who acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life. Celia and I ask all Texans to join us in praying for the White Settlement community and for all those affected by this horrible tragedy.

The White Settlement church attack comes hours after a man armed with a machete attacked a Hanukkah celebration at the house of a New York rabbi. Five were injured in that incident.

As Jentezen Franklin said, “An attack against any house of worship is an attack against all houses of worship.”

We join him in praying for the victims and families in both communities. 

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