NPR

Tragedy Comes To A Small Church In A Small Town

Sunday's shooting marks a profound loss in a place where everyone knows everyone. About half of those killed at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs were children.
Pastor Frank Pomeroy and his wife Sherri near the First Baptist Church on Monday in Sutherland Springs, Texas. A gunman opened fire inside the church on Sunday, killing at least 26 people, including the Pomeroys' daughter, Annabelle. / Eric Gay / Shutterstock.com

Sutherland Springs, Texas, is a small town.

"They say the population is 400 and that's if you count every dog, cat and armadillo," 75-year-old L.G. Moore told The Associated Press. "It's more like 200 people." He runs an RV park a quarter mile from the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.

On Sunday, that church was unleashed by 26-year-old of New Braunfels. Dressed all in black and wearing body armor,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Taiwan's New President Urges China To Stop Its Military Intimidation
Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te in his inauguration speech has urged China to stop its military intimidation against the self-governed island Beijing claims as its own territory.
NPR3 min read
Hold On To Your Wishes — There's A 'Spider In The Well'
There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."
NPR2 min read
The Jawbone Of Washed-up Whale In New Zealand Was Removed With Chainsaw And Stolen
The jawbone of a nearly 50-foot sperm whale that washed ashore in New Zealand's southernmost region has been removed. While the act is illegal, it's also considered disrespectful to the Māori people.

Related Books & Audiobooks