A gunman killed a pastor at an East Texas church on Sunday and wounded at least one other person before fleeing the scene and being arrested by police in a nearby county, authorities said.
Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith told reporters the pastor of the Starrville Methodist Church in Winona discovered a man hiding in a church bathroom and confronted the man with a gun. The man then grabbed the pastor's pistol and shot the two victims before stealing a car from the church's parking lot, Smith said.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott had earlier said in a statement that his heart was with the victims and their families, and that the state would work to ensure justice is served.