Honored to present the Governor’s Medal of Courage to Jack Wilson today. Jack is not only a hero to West Freeway Church of Christ – he is a hero to the entire state of Texas.

Governor Abbott Presents Governor’s Medal Of Courage To West Freeway Church Of Christ Hero Jack Wilson

January 13, 2020 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today presented the Governor’s Medal of Courage to West Freeway Church of Christ hero Jack Wilson at the Governor’s Mansion. The Governor thanked Jack for his willingness to risk his own life to protect others in the congregation, and expressed the state of Texas’ enduring gratitude for Jack’s heroic actions.

“When faced with an evil that few of us will ever comprehend, Jack Wilson responded with strength, bravery, and with love for those in the church that day,” said Governor Abbott. “The courage in his actions cannot be understated, and Jack is not only a hero to West Freeway Church of Christ — he is a hero to the entire state of Texas.” 

The Governor’s Medal of Courage is given to civilians who display great acts of heroism by risking their own safety to save another’s life. It is the highest award given to civilians by the Governor. 

Jack Wilson is the head of the volunteer security team at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas. When a gunman opened fire on the congregation on December 29, 2019, Wilson jumped into action and fired a single round at the gunman, killing the gunman and preventing further loss of life.

Why Is Governor Greg Abbott In A Wheelchair?

Many Texans ask why Governor Greg Abbott is in a wheelchair. His story is one of triumph over tragedy.

On a summer day in July 1984, Governor Greg Abbott, a 26-year-old recent law school graduate, decided to take a break from studying for the bar exam by going for a jog in a west Houston neighborhood as he’d done many times before. While out running, a large oak tree along his path cracked and fell on Governor Abbott’s back, leaving him forever paralyzed from the waist down.

After being rushed to the hospital, doctors discovered several crushed vertebrae splintering into his spinal cord, broken ribs, and damage to vital organs.

As he lay in a hospital bed, throttled with incomprehensible pain, doctors worked to piece his vertebrae back together. They inserted two steel rods near his spine, which will remain there for the rest of his life. During his harrowing recovery process, Governor Abbott was reminded of lessons he’d learned all his life, especially the lesson of perseverance.

Through this experience, Governor Abbott learned that our lives aren’t defined by our challenges. Instead, we define our lives by how we respond to those challenges. His triumph over tragedy shows that Governor Greg Abbott doesn’t back down from challenges, but uses his lessons in perseverance to overcome them.

While some politicians talk about having a spine of steel, Governor Abbott actually has one. He’ll use his steel spine to fight for you and for every Texas family!

BAGKGROUND

Texas church gunman identified; State AG ‘hails’ Lone Star gun laws

By Dave Workman

The murderer who gunned down two members of a Texas church congregation Sunday in the community of White Settlement before being shot dead has been identified as 43-year-old Keith Thomas Kinnunen, who reportedly had a criminal record in Texas, New Jersey and Oklahoma.

While investigators, including the Texas Rangers, were continuing to sort the shooting out, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reportedly hailed the state’s gun laws that allowed armed citizens to protect themselves.

“We can’t prevent mental illness from occurring,” Paxton said, according to the Associated Press, “and we can’t prevent every crazy person from pulling a gun. But we can be prepared like this church was.”

“Prepared” may be an understatement, based on the 51-second video now circulating around social media. It shows Kinnunen stand up in the rear of the church sanctuary, wearing a hooded coat and moving toward church deacon Anton Wallace, 64, appearing to ask a question. As Wallace motions toward the far side of the room, Kinnunen pulls a shotgun from inside his coat aiming first at Wallace and then swinging the muzzle toward Richard White, who can be seen reaching for a concealed handgun, appearing to have trouble drawing.

The first shot strikes White, who was fatally wounded and went down immediately. The gunman then turned his attention back toward Wallace, firing at essentially point blank range.

By that time, however, a lapse of only a couple of seconds, the leader of the church security team, Jack Wilson, had drawn his sidearm. As Kinnunen moved down an aisle toward the front of the sanctuary, Wilson fired one round, striking the killer fatally, ending the terror.

More than 200 people were in the sanctuary at the time, according to published reports. Among them were at least seven other armed citizens who drew handguns and all closed in on the downed suspect. As they moved, they took care to move bystanders out of the line of fire in the event the killer might have been capable of fighting further.

According to KXAS News in Dallas, the local NBC affiliate, Kinnunen had a criminal history that included arrests in New Jersey and Oklahoma, as well as Tarrant County, Tex.

Weighing in to praise Wilson’s quick action was Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottlieb.

“Had it not been for his quick action and accurate shooting, this could have been much, much worse,” Gottlieb said in a prepared statement.

Going on Facebook hours after the shooting, Wilson told followers, “I just want to thank all who have sent their prayers and comments on the events of today. The events at West Freeway Church of Christ put me in a position that I would hope no one would have to be in, but evil exists and I had to take out an active shooter in church.

“I’m thankful to GOD that I have been blessed with the ability and desire to serve him in the role of head of security at the church,” he continued. “I am very sad in the loss of two dear friends and brothers in CHRIST, but evil does exist in this world and I and other members are not going to allow evil to succeed. Please pray for all the members and their families in this time. Thank you for your prayers and understanding.”

He indicated that he used a Sig Sauer P229 pistol in the incident, chambered in .357 SIG, a potent cartridge designed to provide energy in the neighborhood of the .357 Magnum.

The shooting, at the West Freeway Church of Christ, spanned only about four seconds from the first to the last shot. Those watching the video can hear three distinct muzzle blasts, two from the shotgun and one from Wilson’s handgun.

Wilson owned and operated a gun store and was at one time a reserve sheriff’s deputy, according to various published reports. He is currently a candidate for county commissioner.

What sets this incident apart from other such cases is that Texas state officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, expressed support for the armed citizens. In other states, that hasn’t been the case. In a statement, Abbott wrote, “I am grateful for the church members who acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life. Cecilia and I ask all Texans to join us in praying for the White Settlement community and for all those affected by this horrible tragedy.”