Suffolk Police Release Statement On Texas Church Shooting

More than 20 people are reportedly dead after a church shooting in Texas Sunday morning.

KENS5 News reported that multiple witnesses that contacted them say several people were shot at at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Another witness told KSAT a man walked into the church and opened fire around 11:30 a.m. The man who opened fire is reportedly dead, KSAT reports, citing police.

Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt confirmed to the Wilson County News that there were "multiple casualties and fatalities." Special agents from the ATF's field offices in Houston and San Antonio are responding to the church shooting. Photos from the scene also showed FBI agents were responding to the shooting.

In a statement released Sunday afternoon, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini and Chief of Department Stuart Cameron said "our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who were harmed by this incredibly evil act that occurred while the members of this church were peacefully worshiping. We stand in solidarity with the Texas first responders who are dealing with this event.

"Our department works tirelessly to enhance our preparedness to prevent and respond to these types of incidents. At this time, there is no increased specific credible threat to Suffolk County. We again request that the public remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to our department."

• Follow Patch's live coverage of the shooting here

It is unclear how many people have been injured or killed in the shooting. Gamez said he spoke to an EMS spokesman who said as many as 27 people may have been killed but cautioned that the number had not been confirmed. He also said there were about two dozen people injured.

Another county commissioner, Paul Pheil, told The San Antonio Express News that there may be more than 20 people killed.

"Our prayers are with all who were harmed by this evil act," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a short message posted to Twitter. "Our thanks to law enforcement for their response. More details from DPS soon."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement saying his office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn offered their condolences for the shooting victims.

"May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas," President Donald Trump tweeted, adding that he was monitoring the situation from Japan.

Photos posted to the First Baptist Church's Facebook page show that there had just been a Fall Festival celebration at the church.

Sutherland Springs is located about 40 miles southeast of San Antonio in Wilson County. As of 2000, the town had a population of 362. The town was a popular tourist attraction in the 1910s, according to the Texas State Historical Association. According to the association, patrons from all over the United States and abroad regularly visited the "Saratoga of the South," staying at the fifty-two-room Hotel Sutherland.

Reporting by Feroze Dhanoa

Photo: Emergency personnel respond to a fatal shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017. (KSAT via AP)