Have you seen the video of the Texas shooting?
If not, I highly recommend you check out my coverage here.
The heroic shot that took down the perpetrator was incredible: As relayed by RedState’s Nick Arama, church security head Jack Wilson operates a firearms training facility.
His calm, focus, and — holy cow — immediate sure shot in the moment of crisis was amazing — see the video here.
But what of the murderer?
More details have been revealed.
As reported by Fox News, shooter Keith Thomas Kinnunen had attended the West Freeway Church of Christ many times in the past.
BREAKING: Church of Christ shooter who killed two named as Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43https://t.co/o12OiZQ7aE
— Metro (@MetroUK) December 30, 2019
But something was odd: Amid those occasions, Keith was given food. His response: Anger, over not being given money.
The 43-year-old — who entered the sanctuary in a wig, fake beard, and long black coat — killed congregants Richard White and Anton “Tony” Wallace with a shotgun.
The church’s senior pastor, Britt Farmer, confirmed to The Christian Chronicle that he recognized Keith upon seeing a police photo of him undisguised.
According to Britt, Keith wanted cash, not help:
“We’ve helped him on several occasions with food. He gets mad when we won’t give him cash. He’s been here on multiple occasions.”
As noted by Fox, Keith had a long history of criminality. And weirdness:
Court records obtained by FOX4 showed that the 43-year-old was arrested in 2009 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and in 2013 for theft of property. In another arrest in 2011 in Oklahoma, Kinnunen faced arson charges when he was arrested after purchasing “lamp oil and tampons” then setting them on fire in a cotton field, according to documents obtained by FOX4.
At the time of his arrest in Oklahoma, a family member told police that Kinnunen also “soaked a football in lamp oil, then lit it on fire and played ‘fire football.’”
On Monday, sharpshooter Jack told reporters he had one opportunity, and that was a head shot:
“The only clear shot I had was his head because I still had people in the pews that were not all the way down as low as they could. That was my one shot.”
The NRA extends our deepest sympathies to the victims and families of the TX church shooting. We would also like to thank Jack Wilson for his heroic actions. Jack is a hero. America is great because of selfless patriots like Jack. Thank you, Jack. Your courage saved many lives. pic.twitter.com/HJCxWrbleL
— NRA (@NRA) December 30, 2019
Astonighly — with a handgun and from a far distance — one was all he needed.
Within six seconds, the gunman was down, bleeding “profusely” from his head after Wilson fired one round. He told reporters on Monday he then pulled the shotgun away from the man’s body as he was “twitching” and stood over him in case the shooter tried to get up, which he did not.
President Trump praised the security team’s ability to move quickly and prevent further atrocity:
Armed congregants quickly stopped a crazed church shooter in Texas. If it were not for the fact that there were people inside of the church that were both armed, and highly proficient in using their weapon, the end result would have been catastrophic. A big THANK YOU to them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
Back to Keith Kinnunen, you never know who’s coming through the doors of your sanctuary, which is — and should be — open to all.
And you never know who you’re helping.
For some people — including Kinnunen — help isn’t good enough.
A church cared enough to not only feed his soul, but his belly.
And he expressed his gratitude with murder.
Would cash have bought peace for West Freeway?
We’ll never know, but it shouldn’t have been necessary.
Neither should a church security team.
But they did what was necessary. And a large family of faith is safer for it.
-ALEX
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