as the killer left the church, another citizen with a gun opened fire and then jumped in johnny langendorf's once the gunfire was over, the gentleman who lives here came to my truck, opened the door, and he said that the guy hads just shot up the church, and he said, "chase him", and i said "ok, let's go". and people are saying you're a hero. no. i'm just a guy who wanted to the right thing. ijust wanted to do the right thing. annabel's been wanting to ride with me and go with me here and there and... just last week, the pastor here was speaking of his beloved 14—year—old daughter. now annabel pomeroy is dead, murdered in the church she called home. belle was surrounded yesterday by her church family, that she loved fiercely. and vice—versa. our sweet belle would not have been able to deal with losing so much family yesterday. every corner of this community is in pain. the youngest victim was just 18 months old, and one family alone has lost at least five people. police say the killer, devin kelley, sent threatening texts to his mother—in—law. he'd been thrown out of the us air force for ass

. >> filmed by johnny langendorf, the man williford flagged down. >> i don't know.hank you so much. >> today as investigators wrapped up forensic work at the site of the massacre, church officials said they're kidding knocking down the bullet ridden building and replacing it with a memorial garden. >> we put two patients in each ambulance. >> ems director helped treat the wounded inside the church. >> based on what you saw was there any indication the shooter gave anybody any mercy? >> no. his methodology was meticulous and calculated. and total. so, no. i de don't believe he didn't want anybody to survive. >> investigators hatch returned the property to church leaders. they have made some repairs. erected this chain link fence and shrouded it in black until the congregation can decide to on what to do with

inspiration and hope in those texas heroes, stephen willeford, the plumber who grabbed his rifle and johnny langendorf, they pursued the attacker in a high-speed chase and saved the lives of americans as a result. [applause] mr. pence: and mostly we find hope in a community of faith and the courage of a mother who shielded children with her own body and in death saved her five-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter. her last moment living out the truth that no greater love has more than this than they should lay down their life. the faith in this community has inspired the nation. and not just the faith and courage of those we lost but those who survived. you see it in the expressions of faith we just heard in the library. from families who told us they were standing on the rock in these troubled times. and all of america marveled when the devoted pastor from the first baptist church is still grieving the loss of his own precious daughter found it in his heart to say to the world, and i quote, "lean on the lord rather than your own understanding. i do not understand but i know my god does." i was hum

his name is johnny langendorf. he said he was stopped at an intersection with a man with no rifle and no shoes on jumped in his truck. he said the man and the suspect were shooting at each other. the suspect got in his car and sped off. he told langendorf to go get him. >> he said he just shot up the church and got in. he said chase him. so that's what i did. it's one of those things. act now, ask questions later kind of deal. it wasn't -- it wasn't something that i needed to freak out about. >> langendorf says that he was on the phone with police during the chase. said it looked like they were all heading in the church. trace gallagher with the news. trace? >> shep, johnny langendorf was near the church when he was headed to his girlfriend's house. langendorf never imagined 26 people in the church were dead until the man with the gun jumped in his truck. langendorf said add nearly 100 miles an hour, they blew through a few intersections and had no idea what the suspect might do next. he said as long as he was behi

johnnie langendorf was one of the individual who's pursued devin kelley on sunday. he jumped into his car with the individual who fired on kelley to craig melvin this morning. >> i'm trying to keep the gentleman next to me calm. i'm talking to dispatch and doing about 95 miles an hour down this road keeping up with this guy till he finally kind of -- he lost control on his own and hit the bar ditch and at that time, i parked the truck as close as i felt comfortable. me and the other gentleman got behind it. and the other gentleman drew his rifle on him. told the shooter to get out. he never got out. about then track was coming. so i went from behind the truck to go and stop traffic just in case there was any exchange of gunfire. so no one else would get hurt. >> and extraordinary. joining me by phone from sutherland springs commissioner skip hey jack who was at the press conference moments ago. first of all, commissioner, our condolences for what your community, this extended family as pastor pom mer roy's wife sherry said is suffering grievously from today. i'm so

. >> reporter: johnnie langendorf was driving his pickup truck home when he came to that intersection in front of the church. he witnessed that hero neighbor trying to take that suspect down in the parking lot. both of them were aiming at one another. he jumps in your truck, johnnie, and what does he say to you? >> he says he just shot up the church. let's go. >> reporter: they traveled about a dozen miles speeds of 90 miles per hour in and out of the traffic. and inside johnnie's truck the hero gunman who tried to take the gunman down at the scene. >> he was like, don't let him get away. i wasn't going to let him get away. >> reporter: you're on the phone trying to keep up with this guy, calling 911. >> yes. >> reporter: did you have any idea is was more than 20 people? >> no, i didn't have a clue what it was. he's telling me as he's getting in my truck. there's no thinking about that, you just do. >> reporter: inside his pickup truck, the phone that was just given back to johnny. they did not know if he was dead or alive. you can see the police moving in right there. >> yes. there's

as the gunman sped away, he spotted johnnie langendorf. >> he briefed me quickly on what happened and him. so that's what i did. >> reporter: during the chase, the gunman lost control of his vehicle and crashed it into a ditch. an autopsy reveals that williford did shoot him but ultimately kelley killed himself. he was discharged in 2014 after serving a one-year sentence for assaulting his wife and stepson. military records show he intentionally broke the child's clavicle and injured his skull. in theory, the domestic abuse charges should have barred anyone from obtaining guns. but the air force allegedly failed to enter information about kelley's conviction into a fbi database. one source calling it an administrative error. the firearm used was a ruger ar-556. a variation of the ar-15, the same type of weapon used in newtown and las vegas. a weapon that was once illegal. i'm matt gutman in sutherland springs, texas. >> thanks to matt there. we're going to turn our focus overseas. president trump is in south korea. his first stop was to visit u.s. troops. he is not visiting the demili

johnny langendorf said they chased him as he got away. >> the shooter got in the truck.he guy with the rifle came to my truck and briefed me quickly on what happened and he said we have to get him and that's what he did. >> he said the gunman eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed. >> he hit the ditch. the gentleman that was with me got out. rested his rifle on my hood and went to him. there was to movement. >> they stayed at the scene until the police arrived five minutes later and langendorf said he just did the right thing. ahead on "cbs this morning" we'll talk with governor greg abbott. >>> president trump called the act evil and the gunman deranged. he's in japan, his second day there, part of a 12-day asia swing. north korea and trade is dominating. >> this is a mental health problem at the highest level. >> reporter: at a joint press conference with japan's prime minister, president trump insisted sunday's mass shooting in texas dud not warrant new gun controls. >> this isn't a guns situation. i mean we could go into it, but it's a little bit soon to

johnny langendorf said he was driving past the first baptist church when he saw a member of the community exchanging fire with the gunman. he said the person who he knows from the community asked for his help to get into his truck. they followed the gunman's speeding truck until it crashed. you see it there. langendorf said the person he was with stood over the car with a gun until the police arrived. >> i did what i thought i needed to do. they said there was a shooting. i proceeded, and i did what i thought was the right thing. >> reporter: stories of bravery are emerging including a man who lives so close to the church that he -- his home was damaged by gunfire. once the gunfire stopped, he left his family behind and raced into harm's way. i'll have more on that coming up in our next hour. live in the digital operations center, katy zachry, nbc10 news. >> thank you. >>> sutherland springs, texas, is a community of less than 700 people. just about everyone knows each other in some way. even people who were not at the church are coming forward with personal stories about what they witnes

. >> reporter: coming up in the next hour, more on johnny langendorf's story of bravery including what another member of the community did in the moments after the shooter's car crashed. live in the operations center, katy zachry, nbc10 news. >>> sympathy is pouring in from a police department still reeling from a recent mass shooting in its city. las vegas police tweeted, "the news today was heartbreaking, our thoughts and prayers are with the community in sutherland springs, texas." a month ago a gunman opened fire on a concert crowd from a hotel. that massacre killed 68 and wounded another 500. the gunman took his own life. it was the worst mass shooting in modern u.s. history. >>> stay with nbc10 all morning long for continuing coverage of the church shooting. coming up on the "today" show, live reports from texas, and more on president trump's response to the shooting at 6:00. >>> 4:34 now. commuters in philadelphia are about to experience another traffic headache near 30th street station. here's the live look at the stretch of road in university city that will shut down tonight f

as the killer left the church, another citizen with a gun opened fire and then jumped in johnny langendorf's the gentleman who lives here came to my truck, opened the door, and he said that the guy hads just shot up the church, and he said, "chase him", and i said "ok, let's go". and people are saying you're a hero. no. i'm just a guy who wanted to the right thing. ijust wanted to do the right thing. annabel's been wanting to ride with me and go with me here and there and... just last week, the pastor here was speaking of his beloved 14—year—old daughter. now annabel pomeroy is dead, murdered in the church she called home. belle was surrounded yesterday by her church family, that she loved fiercely. and vice versa. our sweet belle would not have been able to deal with losing so much family yesterday. every corner of this community is in pain. the youngest victim was just 18 months old, and one family alone has lost at least five people. police say the killer, devin kelley, sent threatening texts to his mother—in—law. he had been thrown out of the us air force for assaulting his wife and chil

y> reporter: it was filmed by johnnie langendorf, the man willeford flagged down to help drive after kelley. >> i don't even know you, man. and i thank you so much. >> reporter: today, as investigators wrapped up forensic work at the site of the massacre, church officials said they're considering knocking down the bullet-ridden building and replacing it with a memorial garden. >> we put two patients in each ambulance. >> reporter: lavernia e.m.s. thrector paul brunner helped treat the wounded inside the church. tised on what you saw, was there any indication the shooter gave anybody any mercy? >> no. his methodology was meticulous --d calculated and total. so, no, i don't believe he-- he didn't want anybody to-- to survive. >> reporter: investigators have returned the property to church leaders. they have made some repairs, erected this chainlinked fence and shrouded it in black until the congregation can decide on what to do with it. anthony, this sunday, services will be held just a block away at a nearby community center. >> mason: michelle miller in gstherland springs. thank you,

willeford then got more help from another citizen, johnnie langendorf. >> he said, chase him, so, that's what i did. i just chased him. >> reporter: jolting down a country road at over 90 miles an hour, during which, police say, the shooter called his father. >> the suspect used his cell phone to notify his father that he had been shot and didn't think he was going to make it. >> reporter: he then lost control, crashed into a ditch where, police believe, he shot himself. >> do we have helicopters in route? >> three ems on scene correct? >> reporter: he left behind a slaughterhouse. you can see first responders working on the wounded, and under that yellow tarp -- >> dead body right there. >> reporter: neighbor david casillas was there minutes later, weeping as he filmed. >> i seen family members coming out of the church with blood on their arms, you know what i mean, on their clothes, and they couldn't even talk, you know what i mean? they couldn't say nothing. >> reporter: the victims raging from 8 months to 77 years old. >> when you see babies, young children, i mean, that's what -- th

hitting him twice, once in the arm and once in the leg and flagged down a car or a truck driven by johnny langendorfogether they chased the suspect we 10 miles from here, the shooter, not the suspect, the shooter lost control of his car, went into a ditch and took his own life. they met up, one of the many stories here, still 15 people in the hospital recovering from the shooting, the death toll is at 26. heather: the true definition of a hero, clearly shaken up, appreciate your time. he wanted to kill all white police officers at the white house. a texas man is behind bars, cops in maryland say michael oregano's wife picked him up after he stopped taking his medication and wrote a threatening message on facebook. they found and arrested him steps from the white house he faces charges for making felony threats. another major security bust when police uncover a man's arsenal of deadly weapons. investigators found a van load of explosives and grenades in upstate new york after his wife kicked him off about him wanting to kill himself, he is a military veteran who suffers ptsd. he was found hiding out

the video shot by johnny langendorf drove the car in the chase. the shooter had driven off the road where he took his own life. officers can be seen there with weapons drawn. as in any mass shooting, law enforcement is looking for clues that could help prevent the next attack. here is jeff pegues with more on that. >> come on! >> police in hamilton, ohio training for the next active shooter situation. 171 to 384. >> columbine, aurora, colorado, newtown, las vegas have taught investigators it is important to move fast. difficult to predict who will be the next shooter. tom manger president of the major city police chief association. >> we have yet to find this checklist of -- of red flags or indicators that is really i think detailed enough and sophisticated enough for us to say, okay, we need to worry about, you know this individual because, he meets so many of the criteria. >> most active shooter situations occur in less than five minutes. >> an fbi report says, 70% of the time they happen in either a business or educational environment. and, wit

. >> filmed by johnny langendorf, the man williford flagged down. >> i don't know. you thank you so much. >> today as investigators wrapped up forensic work at the site of the massacre, church officials said they're kidding knocking down the bullet ridden building and replacing it with a memorial garden. >> we put two patients in each ambulance. >> ems director helped treat the wounded inside the church. >> based on what you saw was there any indication the shooter gave anybody any mercy? >> no. his methodology was meticulous and calculated. and total. so, no. i de don't believe he didn't want anybody to survive. >> investigators hatch returned the property to church leaders. they have made some repairs. erected this chain link fence and shrouded it in black until the congregation can decide to on what to do with will be held a block away, at a nearby community center. >> >> announcer: this the cbs "overnight news." >>> the north side of puerto rico including the capital san juan was republican lked back into darkness today, when a major power line shut down. the se

one of them was johnny langendorf.ve as he was about to shoot your mother again. what does she think about that? >> she said she would have taken 15 more shots to the legs if it would have saved lives. she's more heart broken about all the lives that were taken and the helpless defenseless church members that just laid there and met their end she feels more bad about the victims, the victim's families than herself, she knows how fortunate she was that she lived through this. # the wounds that she's taken, they'll heal. the lives of all those that were taken are endless. >> our thoughts are with you and your mother. i know she is so glad to have you there with her in this time of incredible tragedy. thank you so much for being with us. >> david, wanted me to mention that if you want to help the church and the victims. you can do that, you can make a donation on the church's website. i want to go to shimon proqupez. he has more details. shimon, what are you learning? >> the investigators have really spent the night, the

. >> johnny langendorf said he crashed his vehicle, where police found him dead inside the car with a gunshot wound. president spoke at a conference with the japanese prime minister. >> this isn't a gun's situation. this is a mental health problem at the highest level. >> now this small, tight-knit community comes together to remember those killed and hurt in sunday's carnage. >> there's so much love for one another. there's no room for hate. >> reporter: and just before midnight last night, we witnessed a family walking across the street away from the church. they were distraught. we approached them and asked them what they were struggling with and dealing with. they said their daughter was missing, that they had not heard about her nearly 12 hours after that. the emotion in their face, chris, really speaks to what so many of these families are dealing with this morning. >> we're with a member of the community right now. we have kathleen curnow here with her husband. she and her husband live right across the street from the church. they heard the gunshotgunshots. some of them made it

on the left is johnnie langendorf. he was saw the gunman exchanging fire with this man on the right steven. a former nra instructor who engage the gunman. last year there were 276 cases of justifiable homicide in the united states. in other words, a good guy with a gun stopped an aggressor. joining us now from new york with more on the importance of this is brandon webb, a former navy seal and self-defense expert. you heard it from mike jordan whose son came face-to-face with this depraved killer. demonic. i have to use that word tonight. his father said thank god we have good people who are proficient with firearms used and stopped him from doing a lot more damage. >> absolutely. i think in most states where you have favorable gun laws, the chances of citizens stopping a situation like this is a lot better than states with restricted gun laws. the 2012 there was a gunman that stormed a church in south carolina and an armed church goer prevented a mass shooting in that situation. i have trained a lot of snipers in the

video was taken by johnny langendorf. he was the man driving through town here. and he jumped in his truck and chased the gunman down the street for 10 miles. video shows that stand-off at the end. you can see the gun drawn with steven wiliford in the gray shirt in the distance and shows the dramatic end to the gunman's life or at least that's where it ended off and where authorities would eventually determine that he was dead. back here live, the investigation continues and will continue for sometime here. and several other locations in south texas behind me is the church. front door is now open as investigators have gone inside. there's a lot of work to be done here. they still say that they've got a lot of stuff to be gathered. meantime inside that church, we're hearing more stories of heroism including from joanne ward, the mother who threw her body across her own children, two of them would die with her. two of them would survive. take a listen to the family's spokesperson. >> she said i would die for my children. and she ended up having to do that in the ve

. >> johnny langendorf said the suspect lost control of his vehicle, crashed on the side of the road and that's where police found him dead inside his car with a gunshot wound. president trump reacted to the massacre half a world away during a press conference with the prime minister. >> this isn't a guns situation. fortunately somebody else had a gun shooting in the opposite direction. this is a mental health problem at the highest level. >> reporter: now this small, tight-knit community comes together to remember those killed and hurt in sunday's carnage. >> there's so much love for one another. there's no room for hate. >> reporter: chris, we were out here last night, it was close to midnight and there was a family that walked across the street, distraught. we approached them to trying to figure out, get a sense what they were going through. they said that their daughter was missing and they had not had any contact. this was almost 12 hours after the rampage. the emotion and just how distraught they looked last night just really captured the pain and agony that so many people are

. >> yang: joey, you talked to johnny langendorf who is one of those who chased the shooter.t was going on during that chase? >> so langendorf was here for a short time and gave us an account of what happened. outside of the church, there was a neighbor who began firing at the suspect as he came out. langendorf was here outside the church in his vehicle, when this neighbor, who he only identified as steve, came up to langendorf and said what had happened, that somebody was shooting at the church and he was trying to get away. this neighbor steve jumped into langendorf's car and langendorf told us earlier that he reached up to 90 miles an hour trying to chase this suspect out of town. some time during this point, it could be that the suspect did a self-inflicted gunshot wound because langendorf said they saw the suspect careen off the street into a ditch. they then got out of their car and the neighbor took his own rifle and pointed it at the suspect, telling him to get out of the car, but the suspect did not, and that's when deputies arrived and took over the situation. >> ya

. >> dana: langendorf, basically because he was a trained, lawful gun owner who was able to act quickly, hopefully able to stop more carnage. we don't know exactly. if you look at johnny there, able to so calmly explained the situation and what they did. you do have to wonder, if you were in that situation, could you have been as brave? i think in these communities, they figure they have no choice. if they waited for the police officers, you are in a rural area, it could take another 45 minutes to an hour. >> greg: that's an important point. the fact that these folks have to have guns because this is a population, 400 or 800 people, i'm not sure. i don't know if they have their own police force. maybe they have one guy. i don't know. >> jesse: hollywood doesn't understand that because they've never been to that part of texas and i don't know the difference between a semi auto and automatic. enough of the lectures. there is such hypocrisy when it comes to mass shootings in terror attacks. look what happened in new york city, after that have been you had a muslim kill a bunch of innocent people, and the hollywood people said let's not attack islam. but then when some cr