Multiple people were killed and others were injured during a shooting Sunday inside a church in South Texas, not far from San Antonio, authorities said.
The incident occurred at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small town more than 30 miles southeast of San Antonio.
Local authorities have yet to confirm how many were killed or injured. But Wilson County Commissioner Albert Gamez Jr. said at least 27 were killed and more than 20 were injured, citing information he received from local authorities. The gunman has been killed, he said.
Megan Posey, a spokeswoman for Connally Memorial Medical Center, located not far from the church, confirmed that the hospital is still accepting patients from the shooting, though she does not know how many.
ABC affiliate KSAT is reporting that the man walked into the church, opened fire and was later killed by police, though a dispatcher for the Wilson County sheriff declined to confirm and said information will be released later.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting an “evil act” in a statement posted on Twitter.
President Donald Trump, who is traveling in Asia, said in a tweet Sunday afternoon that he is “monitoring the situation from Japan.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement: “The thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with the people of Sutherland Springs as tragic reports come out of First Baptist Church. My office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed.”
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa also confirmed that multiple people were gunned down in the church.
“The facts of this horrific mass-shooting are just beginning to unfold, but one thing is certain: these tragedies are especially terrifying when they happen in places of worship, a sanctuary and comfort for so many,” Hinojosa said.
Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are on the scene.
Photos taken by local media showed several police and emergency vehicles, as well as helicopters, outside the church.
A video shared on Twitter by a KSAT reporter showed people crying and holding hands as they waited to find out whether their loved ones are safe.
Carrie Matula, who works at a gas station near the church, told MSNBC that she ran out to see what was happening after hearing gunshots.
“I never thought it would happen here,” she said. “This is something that happens in a big city. I would have never thought this would have taken place here. It’s just too tight a community. It doesn’t make sense.”
The shooting came more than a month after a masked gunman stormed into a small community church outside of Nashville and shot seven people, including the pastor. Authorities said the suspect, Emanual Kidega Samson, may have been motivated by a quest for revenge for 2015 shooting that targeted black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina.