AUSTIN,
Texas (AP) — Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday gave Texas’ highest civilian
honor to a 71-year-old man who shot and killed an armed attacker at a
church in December.
Abbott
gave Jack Wilson the Governor’s Medal of Courage during a ceremony in
Austin, calling him a hero for stopping the shooter at a church in the
small town of White Settlement.
Wilson,
a firearms instructor who trained the West Freeway Church of Christ’s
volunteer security team, shot the attacker once in head after he opened
fire with a shotgun in the church’s sanctuary. Wilson’s single shot quickly ended the attack in which two parishioners, killed 64-year-old Anton “Tony” Wallace and 67-year-old Richard White, were killed.
“When
events arise, you’re going to do one of two things. You’re either going
to step up and do what’s right or walk away. And I’m not one to walk
away,” Wilson said in accepting the medal at the Texas Governor’s
Mansion.
Authorities identified the attacker as Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43. who had a history of criminal and psychological trouble.
