Texas Governor Greg Abbott responds to church massacre and the suspects ability to purchase a gun: https://t.co/ZMDcfaXRz9 pic.twitter.com/0CAtHWlXxR
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 6, 2017
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Monday morning that he does not believe the deadly church shooting in Sutherland Springs was “a random act of violence.”
Speaking to ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Abbott said he thinks a “connection” between the suspect and the church where the attack occurred will soon emerge.
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“What I want to convey to you is I don’t think this was just a random act of violence,” Abbott told George Stephanopoulos.
“It was two things; one is a very deranged individual who, I understand, long before he was dishonorably discharged from the United States military was demonstrating some mental illness challenges.”
Abbott declined to provide any additional information on a potential motive but said law enforcement is working to find answers.
Twenty-six people were killed when a gunman opened fire on Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs.
Police identified the suspected gunman as Devin Kelley, 26, who was found dead in his vehicle a few miles from the scene. The Washington Post reported that the former Air Force member was court-martialed in 2012 and subsequently sentenced to one year in military jail for attacking his spouse and child.