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A pastor was killed and another person was wounded in a shooting Sunday morning at a Methodist church in the East Texas community of Starrville, officials said.
Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said at a news conference that a man who had been hiding in Starrville Methodist Church after deputies pursued him in a car chase Saturday night confronted the pastor when he entered the church shortly before 9:30 a.m.
The pastor was armed and drew his gun, but the man lunged at the pastor and took the weapon from him, the sheriff said.
The man fatally shot the pastor, Smith said. Another person was being treated for gunshot wounds, and third was taken to a hospital after a fall during the shooting, the sheriff said.
The man used the pastor’s firearm in the shooting, Smith said.
Authorities have not provided the names of the victims or the suspect.
Authorities said a man was fleeing from deputies about 7:30 p.m. Saturday when he bailed out of the car he was in and disappeared into the woods.
Authorities used drones and dogs to search for him, but the search was called off for the night after a few hours. At some point, the man was able to get inside the church to hide, Smith said.
After the shooting, the man stole the pastor’s car and fled, the sheriff said. He was tracked down and taken into custody in Harrison County, Smith said.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said Smith County deputies tried to stop the man, but he went east on Interstate 20, reaching speeds of up to 120 mph, according to KYTX-TV.
Harrison County deputies arrested the suspect, a 21-year-old, in Marshall. A weapon and the stolen vehicle were both recovered, the sheriff’s office told KYTX.
The sheriff declined to release more information about the suspect but said the department would pursue a capital murder case against him.
The suspect was being taken to a hospital in Tyler to be treated for a gunshot wound through his left hand. It’s unclear when he was shot.
About four people were in the church when the shooting occurred, and there was no indication the church had been targeted, the sheriff said.
“The church happened to be the location he could get into and take refuge,” Smith said.
Gov. Greg Abbott said in a written statement Sunday said the state would work with first responders and local officials “to ensure that justice is served and that the Starrville community has the resources it needs during this time.”
“Our hearts are with the victims and the families of those killed or injured in this terrible tragedy,” Abbott said.