Georgia shocked by Texas shooting
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, November 7
Georgia’s top officials have condemned a deadly shooting in a church in Texas, which claimed the lives of at least 26 people aged from five to 72, with another 20 others wounded when the gunman opened fire during Sunday’s service.
Underage children and a pregnant woman were reported as being amongst the casualties.
Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili expressed his sorrow via Twitter.
"Our thoughts are with the American people and the families of the victims of the Sutherland Springs Texas church mass shooting,” he wrote.
President Giorgi Margvelashvili also used Twitter to condemn the brutality and show his solidarity.
"Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by the mass shooting in Texas. We stand with the US government and American people in solidarity,” he wrote.
Two men are being hailed as heroes for pursuing the gunman, the BBC reported.
Johnnie Langendorff told local media he had chased the gunman after seeing "two men exchanging gunfire".
"The shooter... fled in his vehicle, the other gentleman came and said we need to pursue him," he said.
Police identified the gunman only as a "young, white male" but US media named him as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, BBC wrote.
Kelley is reported to have been discharged from the US Air Force in 2014 following a court martial for assaulting his wife and child.
The motive for the killings is not yet clear.
