The pastors 14 year old daughter was one of the victims.
Whadda ya mean? Me, my buddy Joe and 3rd cousin Larry aren’t a well regulated militia? Heck we hunt together on a regular basis and at night, sitting around the camp fire, tossing back beers, we discuss our huntin’ strategy. We darn well know how to protect and defend! 
The town has 300-600 people depending on sources.
5-10% of this community has just been slaughtered. My brain just can’t process that.
@Dustyfeathers, I’m convinced that the 2nd Amendment wording is why good English teachers everywhere ban the use of the passive voice. Wish I could go back in a time machine and show the framers their error.
I believe that one day, someone I love will be killed in a shooting like this. I dread it, and yet I expect it. The sad truth is that these shootings are preventable, but we as a nation lack the political will to prevent them.
@rockvillemom , I said the same thing on my wall. Where were all the so-called “good” guys with guns? Isn’t amassing more and more guns supposed to stop this? Oh, wait, Obama took all our guns away! Yeah, that must be it…
Not again. This is too much, just too much.
I remember when drunk driving, and bartenders over serving was much more commonplace until MADD was formed. Why can’t we band together and start holding people accountable? I know the NRA is a powerful lobby but something has to be done. It’s starting to make me low key paranoid. I find myself always making sure I know my exit strategy even when I’m in church. I shouldn’t have to feel this way.
I agree, @partyof5, “If not us, then who? If not now, when?”
I live 45 miles away from where this shooting happened. I am originally from California and it is scary to say the least, seeing regular everyday people openly carrying. But, from my understanding guns are not allowed inside houses of worship…even in TX. (Although who’s to stop anyone?). The folks I know who have them, leave them in their cars which would not have helped them in this specific tragedy.
Drunk driving penalties have gone up a lot over the past few decades. That likely accounts for much of the reduction in drunk driving. But murder already has the highest penalty - death.
Drunk driving penalties have also gone up because MADD lobbied to lower the limits and held legislators accountable.
How much more heartbreak can we tolerate? How much more sheer ugly greed and selfishness? It’s not too soon to say that some lobbyist-pimp for the gun industry will shortly point out that the only way to prevent this carnage is more guns. Guns for everyone, everywhere! Sure, in church. Because, you know, good men with guns.
I didn’t think I could get more disgusted but I was wrong.
Here are just a few organizations attempting to do what MADD did, fyi. For a Moms one, see the bottom of the list.
Everytown for Gun Safety – https://everytown.org/
The Brady Campaign – https://www.bradycampaign.org/
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence – http://nyagv.org/ (BTW NYC is on track for the lowest level of violent crime since the 1950s)
Newtown Action Alliance – http://alliance.newtownaction.org/
Violence Policy Center – http://www.vpc.org/
Giffords organization – https://giffords.org/
States United against Gun Violence – http://ceasefireusa.org/
Stop Handgun Violence – http://www.stophandgunviolence.org/
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America – https://momsdemandaction.org/
All of these seperate entities need to unite under one umbrella - speak as one - and stand up to the gun lobby.
Members of Congress need to stop taking money from the NRA.
Heck the majority of NRA members support commonsense gun legislation. It’s that idiot Wayne Lapierre and others who won’t do anything.
Shooter identified as Devin Patrick Kelley
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mediaite.com/online/texas-church-shooter-identified/amp/
"The shooting suspect has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, CBS News has learned from federal law enforcement sources.
Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. He received a dishonorable discharge and was court martialed in May 2014, CBS News has learned."
I’m glad I didn’t list the name of the person (#7) identified on MANY websites as the shooter earlier today, because it was NOT the correct person. Apparently, the name of the man above was stated as the the shooter during a news conference in the past few minutes.
@LeastComplicated I’m glad too. I’ve also seen pictures roaming around of a Black Devin Kelley. I’m 99% sure the shooter is white.
It’s disgusting but not surprising at all given the sources spreading it.
ETA: It looks like at least the story I saw has taken down that photo. But once out there, it can’t be really taken back. Not really.