The shooting took place when worshipers performed inside the West Freeway church in Texas, killing two and injuring one.

J.P. Bevering, police chief of White Settlement City, Texas, USA, said the suspect on December 29 walked into the West Freeway church and sat down with his followers, then abruptly drew a gun to shoot two people dead. Two armed security guards at the church shot back and killed the gunman.

Macara Trusty, spokesman for emergency services Medstar Mobile, said that in addition to the two people who died in the shootings, one more victim was seriously injured and was being treated at the hospital, all men.

Authorities have not released any information on the motives of the suspects, the identities of the dead were not disclosed.

According to Mike Tinius, a witness at the church, one of the two killed was a security guard in the church. "He tried to do what was necessary to protect us all," Tinius said, adding that the suspect was a stranger and the shooting seemed to be random.

White Settlement Mayor Greg Abbott called the whole country to pray for the victims, their relatives and the locals. "Places of worship are sacred places. I am grateful to the members of the church who took quick action to take down the shooter, helping to prevent further loss of lives," he wrote on Twitter.

This is not the first deadly shooting at a church in Texas. In November 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire on followers at a church in Sutherland Springs, killing more than 20 people, before committing suicide.