Johnnie Langendorff says he raced after gunman with a member of Sutherland Springs community who had earlier fought with killer

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A dramatic account of a high speed car chase after a mass shooting in a Texas church has emerged from one of the gunman’s pursuers, who describes a gunfight and subsequent crash.

Motorist Johnnie Langendorff has told how he was driving near to Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church on Sunday morning when he saw two men shooting at each other.

Texas church shooting: at least 26 confirmed dead, the youngest aged five – latest updates Read more

He saw the church gunman – now named as Devin Kelley – take off in his car and a member of the local community came over to ask for help.

Langendorff told a local TV station Ksat.com: “I pulled up to the intersection where the shooting happened. I saw two men exchanging gunfire, the other being the citizen of the community. The shooter of the church had taken off, fled in his vehicle, the other gentleman came and said we need to pursue him. And that’s what I did, I just acted.



Langendorff said he did not know the community member.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Johnnie Langendorf, who was driving by the scene of a shooting at Sutherland Springs Church in Texas, USA. Langendorf chased the alleged killer in his truck. Photograph: KSAT.com

“He was just a member of the community and he came to my vehicle in distress with his weapon. He explained very quickly what happened. He got into the truck and I knew that it was time to go.”

Langendorff said the gunman sped off but the duo soon caught up with him.



“He got a little bit of a jump on us. We were doing about 95 [mph] down [Route] 539 going around traffic and everything. Eventually he came to a kind of a slowdown and after that we got within just a few feet of him and then he got off the road.



“He just lost control. That is when I put the vehicle in park and I was still on the phone to Dispatch [police]. The other gentleman jumped out and has his rifle drawn on him. He didn’t move after that.”



Langendorff said police arrived with seven minutes and surrounded the gunman’s vehicle.

“We led police to him. Everybody else was headed to the church, all the other officers were responding to the church. From the time we actually stopped, it was about five to seven minutes. The police arrived and then they pushed us back and they took care of the rest. I didn’t see anything after that.”

Langendorff said he acted on instinct when asked to help.

“I was trying to get him, to get him apprehended. It was strictly just acting on what the right thing to do was.”

His Facebook page has since been filled with messages of thanks and praise.

One said: “Well done, Johnnie! You’re a true patriot and a hero. Thank you for coming to the aid of those in need, at such a terrible time.”