President Donald Trump is praising the “heroes” who shot and killed the gunman who opened fire on churchgoers in a Texas Church on Sunday.
Police said the men were volunteer security guards at the church, who did not hesitate to return fire on the gunman after he began shooting at parishioners at the West Freeway Church of Christ in the city of White Settlement.
Two men died and another was hospitalized when 43-year-old Keith Thomas Kinnunen began firing on more than 200 churchgoers.
Trump wrote in a tweet Monday that “lives were saved” by the men who returned fire, one of whom has since been identified as 71-year-old head of security for the church, Jack Wilson.
RELATED: Texas Republican Praises Church Security Team, Change in Law After Shooting
Our prayers are with the families of the victims and the congregation of yesterday’s church attack. It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted to protect 242 fellow worshippers. Lives were saved by these heroes, and Texas laws allowing them to carry arms!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
‘It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted’
Trump also sent his condolences to the families of the victims, 64-year-old Anton Wallace and 67-year-old Richard White.
“Our prayers are with the families of the victims and the congregation of yesterday’s church attack. It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted to protect 242 fellow worshippers,” Trump tweeted.
“Lives were saved by these heroes, and Texas laws allowing them to carry arms,” the President added.
This tragedy comes after gun laws in Texas became more lenient on September 1 when the Senate Bill 535 was passed, which allowed licensed handgun owners to carry firearms into churches.
Under the new law, licensed handgun owners can legally carry their weapons into foster homes, public school grounds, and apartment buildings.
This is exactly the correct attitude and view towards what happened in can happen in any of our churches in the future! https://t.co/IfsnjPkscL
— Jack Jewett (@JackGJewett) December 31, 2019
RELATED: ‘Evil Exists and I Had to Take Out an Active Shooter in Church’
‘There is no such thing as a gun-free zone’
“We have learned many times over that there is no such thing as a gun-free zone. Those with evil intentions will violate the law and carry out their heinous acts no matter what,” said co-sponsor of the bill, Texas state Senator Donna Campbell.
“It makes no sense to disarm the good guys and leave law-abiding citizens defenseless where violent offenders break the law to do great harm,” Campbell added. ‘The existing statute is confusing and clunky when it comes to clearly stating the rights of licensed Texans to carry on the premises of a church.”
“This bill provides clarity of the legislature’s intent to treat churches in the same manner as other privately owned establishments in Texas,” he said.