Pastor killed, two injured in Texas church shooting

A pastor was killed and two others were injured in a shooting at a church in Texas on Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement.

The shooting took place Sunday morning at the Starrville Methodist Church in Starrville, about 100 miles east of Dallas. The suspect, who is in custody, reportedly fled police after an incident on Saturday night and snuck into the church to go into hiding, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said.

A pastor at Starrville Methodist Church found the man hiding in a bathroom around 9:21 a.m. when he, his wife and several others entered the church on Sunday morning. The suspect fled but returned to church amid an early morning manhunt by authorities.

“He starts coming towards the front door and then he turns and rushes over to the pastor and was able to disarm the pastor, it seems at that point,” Smith said. “He used … the pastor’s gun is the one he used. The pastor died at this time.

Another person was being treated for a gunshot wound and his condition was unknown, Smith said. Someone was also treated for a fall during the incident.

The suspect was found after allegedly stealing the pastor’s vehicle to flee the scene and was apprehended in Harrison County, Smith said. He was shot in the hand, but it is not known when he was shot.

Abbott sent condolences to the victims and their families on Sunday in his statement, which did not identify the pastor or suspect.

“The State of Texas is working closely with first responders and local officials to ensure justice is served and that the community of Starrville has the resources it needs during this time,” Abbott said.

Smith said the incident was under investigation as a death penalty murder case, but the shooting does not appear to have been motivated by anti-religious sentiment.

“It is a crime of expediency for this suspect man,” Smith said. “The church was right here. It could’ve been one of those houses that he walked into, but he knowed people were there … I believe he probably got down there looking for shelter.

The sheriff did not provide details of why the suspect was wanted on Saturday, but said authorities were working to secure the arrest warrant for the suspect.

Smith did not disclose the name of the suspect or other victims of the shooting.