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After a shooting at church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, claimed the lives of at least 26 people, details are now emerging about the victims of the attack.
Sutherland Springs, Texas, is a very small town, now rocked by the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the state. Sutherland Springs is home to only 360 people, a gas station, a post office, and not even a traffic light.
One of the victims of the shooting was the daughter of the church’s pastor, Frank Pomeroy Annabelle Pomeroy was 14 years old, attending the 11:00 service at her father’s church. Her parents Frank and Sherri were returning from a trip out of town when the attack occurred.
One family lost 3 generations in the shooting. Bryan Holcombe was filling in for Frank Pomeroy. He was the first person killed by the shooter, shot in the back on his way up to the pulpit. His wife of over 20 years, Karla Holcombe was also killed in the attack.
Bryan and Karla owned a canvas repair shop, and were doting grandparents. In a Facebook photo caption, Bryan wrote, ““Grandkids!!! I am the richest man in the world 🙂 I’ll wake up at night and, in prayer, thank God for each of them . . . it takes a while:-)”
Bryan and Karla’s daughter-in-law Crystal Holcombe, who was 8-months pregnant, died in the attack. Three of Crystal’s children, Megan, Emily and Greg, were also killed in the shooting. She is survived by two children and her husband John.
Bryan and Karla’s 36-year-old son Marc Daniel Holcombe and his infant child were also killed in the attack.
[Joanne Ward was a mother of four who died in the attack with two of her daughters: 6-year-old Brooke Ward and 8-year-old Emily Garza.
Details are still coming about the victims of the attack, but two men are being praised for trying to stop the attack. 55-year-old Stephen Willeford, who lives across the street from First Baptist, grabbed his AR-15 assault rifle and returned fire.
Willeford, who has no military training or experience, managed to hit the shooter in a gap of his body armor, causing him to flee in his SUV.
Another man witness the shooter escaping and helped chase him down. Johnnie Langendorff and Willeford chased the shooter down the highway at nearly 95 miles per hour.
The chase ended after shooter took his own life and his vehicle came to a crashing stop in a field.
Our thoughts are with the victims of the attack and the enitre community of Sutherland Springs.
If you are looking for a way to help, you can contact Congress and demand common-sense gun control at act.everytown.com, or you can donate blood with help from your local Red Cross.
You can read our earlier coverage of the attack here.
