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Man who shot Texas church gunman Devin Kelley says he's 'no hero'
http://www.nydailynews.com ^ | November 6, 2017 | Caitlyn Hitt

Posted on 11/06/2017 3:54:18 PM PST by NKP_Vet

Stephen Willeford, who has been credited with shooting and injuring the Texas church gunman, says he's no hero.

Willeford's daughter told him she saw a man clad in black opening fire at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, prompting him to grab his rifle and investigate the shots.

"Every time I heard a shot I knew that that probably represented a life,” he told KHBS-TV. “I was scared to death. I was scared for me. I was scared for every one of them, and I was scared for my own family that just lived less than a block away.”

“I'm no hero,” Willeford insisted. “I think my Lord protected me and gave me the skills to do what needed to be done. And I wish I could've gotten there faster, but I didn't know what was happening.”

The former NRA instructor loaded his rifle and rushed out of his home barefoot to the church across the street where he encountered suspect Devin Kelley, 26, before exchanging gunfire.

Willeford told KHSB he shot Kelley several times as the gunman fled the church in his vehicle.

He eventually came across Johnnie Langendorff, who was driving a pickup truck, and told him, “That guy just shot up the Baptist church. We need to stop him.”

The 27-year-old told The Associated Press he was driving to Sutherland Springs to pick up his girlfriend when a barefooted man who had been exchanging gunfire with the suspected church shooter jumped into his truck.

Gunman kills at least 26 during Texas church services “The gentleman with the rifle came to my truck as the shooter took off and he briefed me quickly on what had just happened and said we had to get him, so that’s what I did,” Langendorff said.

Langendorff and Willeford then chased after Kelley, who authorities say used an assault-type rifle for the church attack that began after 11 a.m., killing at least 26 people, including a dozen children, and wounding more than 20 others.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
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To: NKP_Vet

bkmk


41 posted on 11/06/2017 4:33:48 PM PST by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: unread

Authorities may be attempting to protect the hero from lawsuits.


42 posted on 11/06/2017 4:35:25 PM PST by Terry Mross (Liver spots And blood thinners..)
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To: Terry Mross

The barefoot hero and the driver won’t be sued.....because the killer died by his own bullet.


43 posted on 11/06/2017 4:37:03 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: ifinnegan

I can’t explain it, but I just LOVE that picture of him!


44 posted on 11/06/2017 4:38:00 PM PST by RandallFlagg (Vote for your guns!)
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To: Nicojones

They may have stopped a shoot out with cops where cops could have been killed.


45 posted on 11/06/2017 4:38:18 PM PST by Terry Mross (Liver spots And blood thinners..)
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To: NKP_Vet
I'm surprised the MSM didn't headline the story with this...

HEADLINE: NRA Instructor Toting Deadly Automatic Assault Rifle Involved in Texas Church Massacre!

46 posted on 11/06/2017 4:38:32 PM PST by Gritty (The real battleground was never Raqqa or Kabul but New York and Paris, London and Rome-Mark Steyn)
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To: be-baw
I read he shot him twice in the side between the front and back of his body armor
Then the guy took off in the truck wiped out and then killeded hjsself.
47 posted on 11/06/2017 4:38:59 PM PST by ichabod1 (Smoke does not mean fire when someone threw a smoke grenade.)
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To: Sacajaweau

Sounds like he didn’t hesitate.


48 posted on 11/06/2017 4:39:27 PM PST by Terry Mross (Liver spots And blood thinners..)
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To: NKP_Vet

Yes Sir, we have a million “good ole boys” exactly like this in Texas and every one of them would have done exactly the same thing!

God Blessed Texas!


49 posted on 11/06/2017 4:39:40 PM PST by Cen-Tejas
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To: Sacajaweau

The creep’s family can sue. Lawsuits can always be filed. But not if he “officially” took himself out.


50 posted on 11/06/2017 4:42:00 PM PST by Terry Mross (Liver spots And blood thinners..)
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To: NKP_Vet
Ding ding ding; see this line about what type of gun Stephen Willeford used:

“grabbed his AR-15”

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/11/06/texas-officials-credit-armed-citizen-stopping-church-massacre/

Had he had something like just a 9mm handgun; he likely wouldn't have brought the killer down.
Thank goodness he had some firepower.
Likely most media won't bring this fact up as they have no room for a good story about a AR-15.

51 posted on 11/06/2017 4:44:48 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
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To: NKP_Vet

First indication that someone is a hero: they insist that they aren’t.

One things for sure; these gentlemen will never pay for their own beer again while in Texas.


52 posted on 11/06/2017 4:44:49 PM PST by RKBA Democrat (Christianity and politics don't mix.)
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To: ifinnegan

The picture that triggered a thousand cucks.


53 posted on 11/06/2017 4:45:49 PM PST by RKBA Democrat (Christianity and politics don't mix.)
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To: Terry Mross

Speaking of his family, we haven’t heard much about them. They must be in a hell of their own.


54 posted on 11/06/2017 4:48:55 PM PST by SE Mom (Screaming Eagle mom)
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To: bagster

Amen.


55 posted on 11/06/2017 4:50:08 PM PST by RKBA Democrat (Christianity and politics don't mix.)
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To: NKP_Vet

Funny, reminds me of a part in one of my favorite movies “Live Free or Die Hard” when Bruce Willis explains to clueless Justin Long “I’m not a hero kid - I’m just ‘that guy’” - and later Long learns what being ‘that guy’ means - when no one else is available or will step up to just do what is right - regardless of how scared you are. Courage to do what’s right. That makes you ‘that guy’.

God bless Willeford.


56 posted on 11/06/2017 4:52:59 PM PST by time4good
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To: PGR88
Barefoot guy with gun jumps in your truck and says "drive!" Not sure how I would react.

Well the report does say that Willeford briefed Johnnie on what had just happened, before they began the pursuit. I suppose it all clicked for Johnnie, and he got right on it.

57 posted on 11/06/2017 5:01:51 PM PST by Windflier (Pitchforks and torches ripen on the vine. Left too long, they become black rifles.)
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To: NKP_Vet

Well, he doesn’t decide that, we do. And he’s a hero!


58 posted on 11/06/2017 5:02:05 PM PST by ThePatriotsFlag (If GOP won House, Senate and Presidency...why are the Democrats still in charge?)
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To: Terry Mross

They may have stopped a shoot out with cops where cops could have been killed.


Or the killer may have driven to another location and mirdered more people if these guys had t acted.


59 posted on 11/06/2017 5:06:07 PM PST by Nicojones
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To: HereInTheHeartland

I might have grabbed my 7mm mag bolt gun. Loads very fast and a 185 g bullet would have perforated the tactical gear the nut job was wearing.
But two 55 gr fmj’s did the job!


60 posted on 11/06/2017 5:20:58 PM PST by 9422WMR
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