Hero Who Shot Texas Gunman Gives Inside Scoop – Turns Out He’s A Former NRA Instructor

Hero Who Shot Texas Gunman Gives Inside Scoop – Turns Out He’s A Former NRA Instructor

Stephen Willeford is the hero in the tragedy at Sutherland Springs, now in the national spotlight simply for doing his best in stopping a crazed murderer from taking even more lives.

Willeford is now confirmed as the man who chased down and then shot David Kelley, the man who killed 26 people who were attending church this Sunday in Texas.

The First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs is about 30 miles outside of San Antonio. At approximately 11:30 am on Sunday, David Kelley entered the church and opened fire. It has been the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history, killing approximately 4% of the small town’s population.

In speaking to media, Willeford, whose family has lived in the Springs for four generations, said that he first was told something was wrong when his daughter came into his room to say that she heard gunshots from the nearby church. Being a former NRA instructor, he was well equipped to deal with what was happening: he took his rifle from his safe. His daughter, who kept watching the church from the window, came back to tell him that there was a “man in black tactical gear” who appeared to be the one shooting people.

“I kept hearing the shots, one after another, very rapid shots – just ‘pop pop pop pop’ and I knew every one of those shots represented someone, that it was aimed at someone, that they weren’t just random shots.”

So, finishing loading his magazine, he went across the street to the church without even putting on his shoes. On seeing the shooter, Willeford shot right back, saying that he stood behind a pickup truck for cover. He said that he knew that he had hit him because Kelley proceeded to get back into his vehicle and kept shooting back at Willeford through his car window. Willeford said that he “fired another round at him again” before the gunman took off in his car down the highway.

Not deterred, Willeford ran to a nearby pickup truck and asked the driver for help, telling the driver:

“That guy just shot up the Baptist church, we need to stop him.”

So, in an event that could probably only ever happen in Texas, the driver complied and the two of them started chasing down Kelley, calling 911 on the way to let them know what kind of vehicle he was driving. When they caught up to him, Kelley slowed to shoot at them and then sped back up, hitting a road sign, where his truck flipped over and landed in a ditch.

Willeford stepped out of the volunteer truck, put his own firearm on top of the roof, yelling “get out of the truck, get out of the truck,” when law enforcement arrived. It then appears that Kelley committed suicide. Willeford said that he’s not a hero and that:

“I think my God, my Lord protected me and gave me the skills to do what needed to be done.”

Margaret M.

Internet Specialist at Warfare Media.

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