Texas Church Shooting – After Action Analysis

Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43, shown at left, slipped into the Sunday service at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement wearing a long black wig, a fake beard and a bulky jacket.”We’ve helped him on several occasions with food,” minister Britt Farmer told The Christian Chronicle. ”He gets mad when we won’t give him cash. He’s been here on multiple occasions.”

During Communion, Kinnunen pulled out a sawed off, 12-gauge shotgun with a pistol grip and started shooting. Killed were Deacon Anton “Tony” Wallace, 64, who was holding a silver Communion tray, and Richard White, 67, who yelled, “Drop it!” as he stood up and reached for his pistol.

One victim was identified as Deacon Anton “Tony” Wallace. He was 64. The second victim was identified as Richard White by his family. Both died at a nearby hospital.

The Church of Christ was live-streaming their Sunday services on their YouTube channel, and while the motive remains unclear, a man is firing off two shots while church-goers ducked under their seats in fear. The video, which has since been removed from the church’s YouTube channel, also showed an armed security guard, identified as Jack Wilson, taking down the gunman with a single shot.

AFTER ACTION REPORT –

TEXAS LAW and TEXANS:   The church deserves no end of praise . . . for having some of their members take part in an armed security force.  That was smart thinking!  It was also something encouraged by the Texas legislation in the wake of several church shootings.  They passed a law in Sep. of 2017 that  made it legal for churches to have armed volunteer guards — but the law’s author says many churches in Texas don’t know it’s an option.  Well, how about that?  The Texas legislature acted prudently and encouraged armed intervention to protect their people.

CA LAW:  If you live in CA, don’t expect any help to come from our liberal legislature.  I can assure you they will learn nothing from this incident.

Our democrat idiots are too busy looking for creative ways to disarm law abiding citizens or create gun free zones.  They are and shall remain, oblivious to the reality that Texans consider common sense.  In CA they only know one thing…ban it or tax it.  All their repressive, anti-second amendment laws and all their moronic gun free zones would not have prevented this shooter from killing, only an armed citizen could do that!

CA’s goes in the wrong direction again, it’s become a habit with democrats.  Current and proposed gun laws in CA only make it easier for a killer to do his worst.  They offer nothing for the protection of the law abiding citizen.   Until these far left democrats are kicked out of office, this situation will not improve and CA citizens will be at greater risk than they should, thanks to these jackasses in Sacramento.

Here’s a few takeaways for your consideration….

NEED FOR GOOD TRAINING:  When people come face to face with an armed killer it’s hard to predict what they might do.  However, if a person is well trained for such an event chances are in that split second moment of crisis he or she will fall back on that training.  There’s no time to think about it – you just automatically react, hopefully that means as you were trained.

LEARNING LESSONS FROM HISTORY:  In the picture below you will see the gunman #1, then #2 the Deacon, then #3 the security.  The security (Richard White) realizing the danger stood up as he yelled drop it and then he reached for his handgun under his coat.  He took less 1/2 second to get his coat tail out of the way and draw his weapon.  Unfortunately, in that time the gunman fired two fatal shots, taking out both White and Tony Wallace the Deacon.

A 3rd armed parishioner/security was about 30 feet away and the shooter was looking away from him.  This gave him an advantage of time and a good angle on the shooter.  He dropped him in one shot.  A total of 6 seconds lapsed from the first shot and then it was over.  Lives were saved this day by that one well placed shot.  Imagine if that security guy had no weapon.  The cops would not arrive for 3 minutes, what could a man with a sawed off 12 gauge do in a crowded building in those minutes?

1.  Security fell a little short, they were good, but with just a little more training it could have prevented 2 more deaths.  They needed a bit more situational awareness.  Why do I say that?   Let’s back up.  The gunman entered the church as the service was already in progress and he walked right past security (White) and several others standing just inside the front door.   The news story said he was wearing a fake beard and wig – who would not spot that and think that’s weird? So there’s the first huge red flag.  He was wearing an odd long coat capable of concealing a weapon – another red flag.  He entered the church last, after everyone else was seated, that’s suspicious.   He was an unidentified stranger and very strange in his appearance, yet he was able to walk right past at least 4 adult men, including White the security guy, anyone of them  should have sized him up and then action.
2.  Situational awareness here could have been better, but I shouldn’t be too critical, none of these people were trained law enforcement professions.   Sadly, reaction to this  threat went totally unnoticed or at least unchallenged.  If the gunman had been challenged right at the entry by the first three men present, he might have tried to use his shotgun, but he would have had a difficult time pulling his weapon from under the long coast.  There was a better than average chance he could have been taken down and  stopped right there.
3. Once inside the church the shooter walked about 20 feet to positioned himself in the rear corner of the room, then he pulled out his weapon.   Now taking any action to stop him would be extremely dangerous, but there are few good options left.  Now what would you do being the closest armed security?  First, you don’t stand up and yell “Drop it!” at the moment the gunman is looking your way!   Second, you don’t take any action before you have your weapon in hand.  But, once the gunman draws his weapon it’s green light time.   You shoot first and ask questions later, you have a legal green light to end the threat.   But, timing is everything.  You have to be smart and keep your cool.  The security that fired the fatal shot did exactly that.  He waited until it was safe to shoot.   Like I said earlier, when you are in a crisis situation you will generally fall back on the training that you know.  Unfortunately, victim White’s training came up short.  He was not properly prepared, even though he carried a gun.   His reaction to seeing the armed gunman was unquestionably heroic, but his movements were wrong and it cost him his life.  And that’s why we’re talking now.
4. We must learn from the mistakes of others, while hoping this never happens to us, but being better prepared than the last guy if it does.  Key word…prepared!   Do you agree or have comments to add, please feel free.
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