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The Latest: Church shooter's dad says family is grieving

A law enforcement official continues to work the shooting scene at the First Baptist Church Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, in Sutherland Springs, Texas. A man opened fire inside the church in the small South Texas community on Sunday, killing more than two dozen and injuring others. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Original Publication Date November 09, 2017 - 9:06 AM

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas - The Latest on the Texas church shooting (all times local):

11:50 a.m.

The father of the man Texas authorities say opened fire on a small-town church, killing more than two dozen people, says his family is grieving.

Michael Kelley is the father of shooter Devin Patrick Kelley. He spoke to ABC News Wednesday from his home in New Braunfels, about 35 miles (55 kilometres) north of the community of Sutherland Springs where Sunday's shooting happened. Authorities say the younger Kelley died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound after being shot and chased by two residents when he was leaving the church.

Kelley's father says he doesn't want the "media circus" surrounding the massacre to destroy "our lives, our grandchildren's lives."

Kelley's family has been silent since the shooting. A motive remains unclear, but Kelley appears to have targeted a church that was long attended by his wife's family.

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11:30 a.m.

Eleven people remain hospitalized with wounds from a shooting at a small-town Texas church where more than two dozen people were killed.

A spokesman at University Health System in San Antonio said two adults and two children were still hospitalized Thursday. Doug Finley said conditions of the four ranged from good to critical. Finley declined to be more specific.

Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio says seven church shooting victims are still hospitalized Thursday. Their conditions ranged from fair to critical. The hospital didn't release additional details.

The pastor of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs told the Southern Baptist Convention that he plans to demolish the building where Sunday's massacre occurred.

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11 a.m.

The pastor of a small-town Texas church that was the site of a massacre plans to demolish the building.

Pastor Frank Pomeroy told leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention that it would be too painful to continue using First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs as a place of worship. A national Southern Baptist Convention spokesman said Pomeroy discussed the plan this week with the denomination's top executives who had travelled to the community in a show of support.

The spokesman, Sing Oldham, said Pomeroy expressed hope he could turn the site into a memorial for the more than two dozen people who were killed last Sunday and build a new church on property the church owns.

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12:10 a.m.

Vice-President Mike Pence joined Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at a memorial service for the victims of Sunday's massacre at a small-town Texas church.

Pence told the crowd Wednesday evening that the shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs was the worst mass shooting at a church in American history and called the gunman "deranged."

Abbott began the service by praying "for healing and for help." He also proclaimed Tuesday a statewide day of prayer.

Authorities say Devin Patrick Kelley killed 26 in the attack, including the unborn baby of one of the women slain.

Apple released a statement saying it has offered the FBI technical advice after learning the bureau was trying to access Kelley's cellphone. The company says the FBI has not requested its assistance.

News from © The Associated Press, 2017
The Associated Press

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