By: José Niño
A grand jury is refusing to indict Second Amendment hero Jack Wilson for his defensive shooting at a church gathering near Fort Worth, Texas that saved dozens of lives.
It was on December 29, 2019 that Wilson showed his bravery. A deranged gunman equipped with a shotgun walked into the congregation of West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas and started opening fire on church attendees. Wilson, who was working as a volunteer security guard, rose to the occasion and fired back.
It only took one shot for Wilson to neutralize the 43-year-old assailant, who had already fatally shot two of the congregants. Wilson’s rapid response likely prevented further deaths, and many of the congregants expressed their gratitude for Wilson’s valor.
A grand jury ended announced this week it would not indict Wilson for his actions.
Prosecutor Tim Rodgers of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office asserted that bystanders are within their rights to employ lethal force to defend others.
“Mr. Wilson shot his firearm to take out the threat that was endangering other lives. He did it responsibly, and he is absolutely justified in doing that under Texas law,” Rodgers declared. “The grand jury was correct.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bestowed Wilson the Governor’s Medal of Courage in January 2020.
“When faced with an evil that few of us will ever comprehend, Jack Wilson responded with strength, bravery, and with love for those in the church that day,” Abbott remarked at the time he presented Wilson with the award. “The courage in his actions cannot be understated, and Jack is not only a hero to West Freeway Church of Christ — he is a hero to the entire state of Texas.”
Following the shooting, Wilson toldthe local NBC affiliate about the church security team’s extensive training and preparation for active shooter situations.
“You prepare for the worst, and yesterday was the worst,” said Wilson, who is an instructor for the team and has decades of experience as a firearms trainer. “I did what I had to do to save and protect the other members of the congregation.
“Even though it was only a 4-6 second event, had I not been able to take the shot that I took when I took it, I’m sure that other people would have been injured or killed,” Wilson added.
If there is anything that gets the anti-gun crowd worked up is a well-trained, lawful population.
Wilson’s case shows how law-abiding individuals can be counted on to stop criminals in their tracks when the police are minutes away. Had Wilson not been present in this situation, West Freeway Church of Christ could have been host to a ghastly massacre.
José Niño is an American freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Sign up for his mailing list here. Contact him via Facebook, Twitter, or email him at [email protected]. Get his e-book, The 10 Myths of Gun Control, here.
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