Pastor dead, 2 hurt in Texas church shooting; suspect arrested
WINONA, Texas — A pastor was killed and two other people were injured in a shooting at an east Texas church Sunday after the pastor confronted a man who had hidden from police in the church overnight, a local sheriff said.
Authorities had used dogs and drones to search for the man for two hours late Saturday night in woods near Winona following a car chase, and the pastor of the nearby Starrville Methodist Church discovered him Sunday morning hiding in a church bathroom and holding a red bank bag that belonged to the church, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said at a news conference.
Smith declined to say why authorities had been searching for the man.
The pastor drew a gun and ordered the man to stop, Smith said, but the suspect moved toward the front door, then lunged, disarmed, and shot the pastor.
The pastor was killed, a second person was injured by gunfire and another was hurt in a fall.
The surviving gunshot victim was in surgery Sunday, and his condition was unknown, Smith said.
The man stole the pastor’s vehicle and fled east before being arrested by deputies in nearby Harrison County, Smith said. He said the man was being treated Sunday afternoon at Tyler-area hospital for a gunshot wound to his left hand, but that it’s unclear when he was shot.
Smith declined to identify the pastor, the other people injured or the suspect. However, ABC affiliate WFAA reported the pastor killed was 62-year-old Mark McWilliams, 62.
WFAA also named the shooting suspect as Mytrez Deunte Woolen, 21, and said he had been booked into the Smith County Jail on $3,500,000 bond.
The sheriff said the suspect would be facing a capital murder charge from the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.
The shooting was reported around 9:20 a.m., and there were no services going on at that time, said Sgt. Larry Christian, of the sheriff’s office. Smith said the pastor, his wife and two other people were in the church at the time.
The man appears to have taken shelter in the church out of convenience and there’s nothing to indicate the shooting was motivated by religious animus, the sheriff said.
“This is not a church-related, religion-related offense,” said Smith.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent his condolences.
“Our hearts are with the victims and the families of those killed or injured in this terrible tragedy,” he said in a statement.
“I am grateful for the law enforcement officers who apprehended the suspect, and I ask Texans to join Cecilia and me in praying for those affected by this horrific shooting. The State of Texas is working closely with first responders and local officials to ensure that justice is served and that the Starrville community has the resources it needs during this time.”
It’s unclear exactly when the man entered the church in Starrville, near Winona, about 100 miles east of Dallas.
Representatives of Starrville Methodist could not be immediately reached for comment. Starrville Methodist was built in 1853, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
The shooting came a little more than a year after a gunman opened fire at a church near Fort Worth, killing two people before he was fatally shot by a congregant.
Texas officials hailed the congregant’s quick action, saying it prevented further killing and showed the effectiveness of the state’s permissive gun laws, including a 2019 measure that affirmed the right of licensed handgun holders to carry a weapon in places of worship.
That law was passed in response to the 2017 massacre at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, where a man fatally shot more than two dozen people at a Sunday service before taking his own life.
Since then, a cottage industry has sprung up in Texas and other states to train and arm civilians to protect their churches using the techniques and equipment of law enforcement.
Another whitard MAdmike/K1DPR/Jeff Allen exercising their -1ST amendment.
Its the 2nd amendment you stupid piece of shit alberto. And I’m waiting for someone to exercise it on you.
Sounds like a typical Republican veiled threat you piece of shit!. So come get some yall POS crumbs. We’ll go all NATO on you domestic terrorist ass Repug gun nuts.
Republicans don’t make veiled threats. They are outright warnings to scum like you. Try to take our guns away with betito and see what happens. That is your problem you stupid ignorant lower than the N word.
No one cares about your guns. The concern is that you and several others on this blog are obviously mentally unstable and should not own or possess a firearm.
Damn alberto, how can you be so stupid and still maintain life support on yourself?
Lol. Glad you can count to 2 idiot. Trumptard. Touch up on phone auto fill pendejo mutt nadodave.
The only mutt here is your momma that tried to abort you but failed cause she took too much meth. Baboso slime tele tubby butt fool.
The shooter was black dumbass!
The shooter was black, dumbass!
Im waiting for the NRA Gun Lobby ‘Terrorist Organization’ to claim responsibility for the carnage.
Counting to two is one better than what you can count you ignorant bastard alberto. The terrorist in Nashville was a demoKKKrat. The terrorist here is probably a demoKKKrat as well. Repubs don’t go kill their own in Christian churches you swamp rat.
Wrong. He was a conspiracy theorist who supported the orange buffoon. One of his conspiracy theories was that 5G phones were killing us.
Just another atheist BLMer exercising his blackness identity. Try reading all information not just what the Communist News Network tells you. That is your conspiracy theory fool.
You aren’t even allowed to be is possession of any firearm, loser!
There’s no Alberto
We all know who you are, what you are and where you are. How do you like all of those traffic citations?
I wish that was true. Tele tubby ass. hole.
Most police officers are NRA members, moron!
I know several police officers who are not NRA members and who consider the NRA a terrorist organization along with two FBI agents.
Obviously you are living in the past and don’t have a good grip on reality like most Republicans or rightists.
You are so full of shit, not to mention a total liar.
The only interaction you have with law enforcement is when you get pulled over or thay ask you questions about your father.
you aren’t allowed to own a gun, alberto!
He killed the pastor? Must not have liked the sermon. Please note sarcasm.
alberto doesn’t know what sarcasm is. He thinks it’s the scars on IT’s mommas belly after having 25 illegitimate bastards like itself.
Nadodave go tend to your mutts. Go on!
I already fed alberto pedo muerto my mutt. Go slime yourself in the canal.
Insults name calling and threats is what the Madmike gang do best. But the Republican cowards ain’t gonna bust a grape.
And you ain’t ever going to confront me!
You’re a Republican coward foreword? Who new? You like grapes too.
Its obvious that they are cowards from their reliance on guns to support their lack of manhood. If one of them approaches me with a firearm, they’ll lose said firearm.
You are nothing more that a coward with a big mouth.
If anyone approaches you, you will curl up in the fetal position and cry, just like that supposed ANTIFA commander did when the SWAT Team arrested him, wuss!
Says the master of empty threats. Still waiting on you to deal with me over detaining illegals
When I was assigned to Fort Huachuca, AZ, I used to catch them all the time, walking up the dried up San Pedro River bed. I would hold them and get on my CB and send for CBP. Back then, they were really no threat, they just wanted jobs.
The pastor was killed with his own gun. If you are not properly trained, or aren’t willing to use it, don’t carry it at all.
If in a gun fight: Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets . . . You may get killed with your own gun, but he’ll have to beat you to death with it, cause it’ll be empty.