Pastor Dead in Texas Church Shooting

Pastor Dead in Texas Church Shooting

  • Jan 04, 2021

Pastor Mark Allen McWilliams, 62, of Frankston, Texas, has been shot and killed Jan, 3, after the suspect was found hiding in the church bathroom following a high-speed chase the night before.

Police identified the suspect as Mytrez Deunte Woolen, 21, who has been charged with aggravated assault while exhibiting a deadly weapon, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and first-degree capital murder, according to a news release from the Smith County Sheriff's Office.

Lindale, TX, police responded to several calls on Saturday of the suspect showing a firearm through the vehicle’s sunroof.
At 7:30 p.m., a Smith County, TX, deputy saw the suspect's vehicle at a convenience store and tried to stop it, but the car sped away. Deputies gave chase for more than 20 miles, eventually joined by troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The vehicle reached speeds of around 100 mph, but one of its tires was a spare that gave out during the pursuit, causing the Jetta to crash onto the property near the Starrville Methodist Church in Winona, Smith said. The suspect was not found during this search though law enforcement, with assistance from a K-9 unit and drones, were deployed.

The next morning, before 9:30 a.m., Smith County dispatchers received a call that there had been a shooting in the church. Once the deputies departed the area, the suspect backtracked, and in order to get out of the cold, broke a church window to enter the church.

McWilliams was armed and was able to get the suspect to lie on the ground, Smith said.

"However, there was some confusion during that time. He made the suspect lay down on the floor ... the pastor got distracted ... talking to his wife and the suspect lunged at him and was able to take the firearm out of his hand," Smith said. The suspect fatally shot the pastor.

Two people were also injured -- one from a gunshot wound, and another from falling. The gunshot victim was in surgery Sunday, and his condition is unknown, Smith said. His injuries were described by Smith as non-life threatening.

Zac Wellerman/Tyler Morning Telegraph

Featured

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.