FORT WORTH, Texas — A Tarrant County grand jury decided to take no action Monday against the church security officer who killed the West Freeway Church of Christ shooter in White Settlement in December.
Jack Wilson, the head of the church’s volunteer security team, killed the man who was shown on video shooting two congregants at the church on Dec. 29.
The grand jury made the right decision to take no action against Wilson, said Tim Rodgers, chief prosecutor for the Law Enforcement Incident team in the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, in a news release.
“Texas law allows an individual, when they witness somebody placing others at risk of serious bodily injury or death, to act with deadly force to protect the other individuals,” Rodgers said. “Mr. Wilson did just that. He did it responsibly and, as a result, he was justified under the law in his actions.”
It is usual for a grand jury to review a homicide to decide whether or not criminal conduct took place.
Church members Richard White and Anton Wallace were shot and killed by Keith Kinnunen on Dec. 29. Kinnunen was shown on video joining the church service that Sunday morning, where about 262 congregants gathered. During communion, he stood up and shot the two men.
Wilson fired one shot at Kinnunen, hitting him in the head and killing him. The shooting was recorded on the church’s livestreamed video of the service and security cameras.
Wilson was honored with the Governor’s Medal of Courage in January. The medal is given to those “who display great acts of heroism by risking their own safety to save another’s life.” It is the highest award the governor of Texas can bestow to civilians.
“I did what God would want me to do — would have me do — in that situation,” Wilson said after he received the medal from Gov. Greg Abbott in Austin. “And understanding that had I not done what I did, the situation would have been extremely much more chaotic.”
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