Parishioners fatally shot a man who opened fire during a church service Sunday in White Settlement, Texas, Police Chief J.P. Bevering said. The gunman's motive is unclear at this time.

According to CNN, the gunman killed one person at West Freeway Church of Christ and seriously injured another. A video of the incident shows that he was taken down by churchgoers and what appears to be a security officer within three seconds of opening fire at the Sunday service.

The church service was being livestreamed on YouTube when the shooting took place. A clip of the gunfire exchange was shared on Twitter by user @GrantB911.



Police Chief Bevering praised the "heroic" churchgoers who returned fire, killed the assailant, and saved countless lives in the process. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman with MedStar Mobile Healthcare said that the suspected shooter and a victim died on their way to a nearby hospital. Another victim's heart stopped beating but was resuscitated by paramedics en route to the hospital and is currently in critical condition.

In a statement, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott described the shooting as an "evil act of violence."



"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," he said. "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."

This is a developing story and we will be updating it as more information is made available.

