The Texas church shooting suspect was able to purchase a gun after the Air Force failed to follow policies for alerting federal law enforcement about Devin P. Kelley’s violent history.
On Sunday, the former service member opened fire at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs killing 26 people and injuring 20 more. The Washington Post reports that it was the Air Force’s mistake that enabled Kelley to obtain firearms before the rampage.
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Due to a domestic violence conviction in 2014, Kelley should have been barred from purchasing guns and body armor. He was convicted on two counts of domestic abuse against his wife and child in 2014 while serving at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek explained in a statement that Kelley was kicked out of the military with a bad conduct discharge and was sentenced to a year in prison.
“Initial information indicates that Kelley’s domestic violence offense was not entered into the National Criminal Information Center database,” Stefanek said.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff David Goldfien have ordered an investigation into Kelley’s case and “relevant policies and procedures,” Stefanek said.
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Given Kelley’s conviction, he should have been prevented from buying body armor, which he was seen wearing during the rampage.
According to the authorities, Kelley was dressed in all black while wearing a tactical vest upon entering the church. He then opened fire with a Ruger semiautomatic rifle.
“Learning that this senseless act of violence might have been prevented if only the proper form was filled out by military investigators was absolutely devastating,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
