The tragedy endured by the congregation at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, yesterday sadly reminds us all that evil exists in this world. Here, we will not mention the name of the shooter; we will refer to him as shooter. His name does not deserve to be known. Instead of focusing on the negative, we choose to focus on the positive aspects of society that these sorts of tragedies can simultaneously reveal.
Stephen Willeford is a 55-year-old retired plumber with no military experience. He lives near the church and was at home napping when his daughter informed him of the active shooter situation. With nothing to gain and no shoes on his feet, Willeford grabbed his rifle and went to the church to take on the shooter. They reportedly exchanged gunfire, with the shooter being wounded by a shot that pierced his body armor. The shooter dropped his Ruger, then entered his vehicle and sped off.
Willeford jumped into Johnnie Langendorff’s (another local hero who showed up to help) pickup truck, and they pursued the shooter at speeds up to 95 MPH. The shooter lost control of his vehicle, crashed, and then took his own life.
About Stephen Willeford
Willeford is actively involved in the community. One of the many ways his charitable attitude benefits the public includes dressing as Santa and riding his motorcycle to deliver toys to kids at local churches.
Willeford is known by locals to be an excellent shot, and his marksmanship probably saved lives. At the very least, he prevented a mass murderer from escaping the scene of the crime. Plumbers nationwide should be proud to say they share the same profession as Stephen Willeford.
To honor the fallen, here are the known names of the victims:
- Annabelle Pomeroy
- The Holcombes: Crystal, Marc Daniel, Noah, Karla, and Bryan
- Joanne and Brook Ward and Emily Garza
- Lula Woicinski White
- Haley Krueger
- Karen and R. Scott Marshall
- Richard and Theresa Rodriguez
- Robert and Shani Corrigan
- Tara McNulty
- Dennis and Sara Johnson
Sources:
Daily Mail: The Two Heroic Locals…
Time: Texas Church Shooting Victims