An eight-month pregnant woman, a mother and her two daughters, the stand-in preacher and his wife, and the regular pastor’s daughter, 14, are named as the first of the Texas church shooter’s 26 victims
First Baptist Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy’s 14-year-old daughter was the first victim to be identified
Bryan and Karla Holcombe, and their daughter-in-law Crystal, are also among the dead
Three of Crystal’s children were named among those killed; Mother-of-five Crystal was also pregnant
Mother-of-four Joann Ward and her two daughters Brooke, 6, and Emily, 8, also died, according to family
Her stepson Ryland Ward was shot four times and is in surgery, as family wait to hear about his condition
At least 26 people were shot dead by gunman and at least 24 others are being treated for injuries
Victims range in age from five to 72, with one five-year-old boy shot multiple times now in surgery
Police said the gunman walked into the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas and opened fire
Gunman identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, of suburban San Antonio died after an armed citizen pursuit
By HANNAH PARRY and KEITH GRIFFITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
6 November 2017
A mother-of-four and her two young daughters, a 14-year pastor’s daughter, Sunday’s stand-in preacher, his wife, their eight-months-pregnant daughter-in-law and three of her five children are among the 26 victims shot dead in the Texas church massacre.
Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, of suburban San Antonio, opened fire on parishioners during Mass at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, killing dozens and injuring at least 20.
The first victim to be identified was Annabelle Pomeroy, whose father – First Baptist Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy – had been out of town during the attack. The grieving dad told ABC he’s lost ‘one beautiful girl, and a ‘special child.’
Bryan Holcombe had been standing in for Frank Pomeroy when Kelley opened fire. Witnesses say he was the first victim to be struck by the shooter’s gunfire.
‘Bryan was filling in,’ the witness, who did not want to be named, told DailyMail.com. ‘He was walking up to the pulpit when he was shot in the back.
‘He was an awesome Christian,’ they added.
He was killed, alongside his wife of 25 years, Sunday school teacher Karla Holcombe, as well as their eight-months-pregnant pregnant daughter-in-law Crystal, a mom-of-five, local residents reported. Three of Crystal’s five children were also killed.
‘The family is just devastated,’ the witness added.
Bryan and Karla ran a canvas repair shop before retiring and had attended the church for 25 years.
‘My father was a good man and he loved to preach. He had a good heart. They knew where they were going. There’s peace in that,’ their son Scott Holcombe told the Herald-Tribune.
Mother-of-four Joann Ward and three of her children were also shot. Family have since told the Dallas News that Joann and two of her daughters, six-year-old Brooke and eight-year-old Emily have died.
Ward’s six-year-old stepson Ryland, who was shot four times, is still in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery. The mom’s eldest daughter Rihanna, nine, had the glasses shot off her face but escaped injury by hiding under a pew as shots rang out.
The Rest…HERE
