TEXAS GUNMAN "DEVIN KELLY" WAS ANGRY WITH CHURCH GOING MOTHER INLAW,SENT HER THREATENING TEXT MESSAGES THAT MORNING OF THE SHOOTING

Texas gunman Devin Kelley was involved in a "domestic dispute" with his family and had sent "threatening text messages" to his mother-in-law, who was a parishioner at the church.

Kelley opened fire on the congregation,

killing 26 people and leaving dozens more seriously hurt.

A Texas Department of public safety official said there was a "domestic situation going on" within Kelley's family and his in-laws.

The gunman, who was wearing a skull bask and ballistic vest, has "expressed anger towards his mother-in-law", the the public safety official added,

The spokesman stressed the shooting was not racially or religiously motivated.

A five-year-old boy, Ryland War, was found clinging to life and covered in blood among the church pews after Kelley opened fire and fled.

Horrifically, his mum, Joann Ward, and sisters Brooke Ward, also five, and Emily Garza, seven, were shot dead in front of him in the massacre.

Another sibling, named as nine-year-old Rihanna Garza, incredibly survived despite her glasses being shot off her face, family members say.

Brave locals chased Kelley after the shooting in a 95mph car chase, keeping a rifle trained on him until police arrived.

Brave resident Stephen Willeford is said to have confronted and shot Devin Patrick Kelley as he left the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.

Despite having no military experience, he reportedly opened fire on the 26-year-old suspect with a rifle, hitting him in between his body armour.

As the alleged killer then dropped his own gun and fled in an SUV, Mr Willeford, 55, called on bystander, Johnnie Langendorff, to help him.

The pair jumped in Mr Langendorff's truck and chased after Kelley, who had a head start, hitting speeds of 95mph as they weaved around traffic.

Eventually, they managed to run him off the road, it is claimed.

As Kelley - who has been named as the shooter by US media - lost control of the SUV and came to a halt, Mr Langendorff stopped his own truck.

Mr Willeford then leaped out, with his rifle drawn. He kept the weapon trained on Kelley until police arrived at the scene minutes later.

The suspect was reportedly found dead in his car.

The 26-year-old is believed to have been a married father of a toddler son who was once a member of the US Air Force.

Authorities are now examining the reasons Kelley was discharged from the US Air Force and if this should have prohibited him from buying firearms.

A since-deleted Facebook profile believed to belong to the suspect showed an assault rifle with a post from a week ago reading: "She's a bad b****."

It also included a Mark Twain quote reading: "I do not fear death."

The profile picture showed a man with two young children and stated that the man was married, while a LinkedIn profile indicated he and had once taught bible studies to children as young as four.

Kelley lived in New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio, and was reportedly court martialled from the US Air Force three years ago.

The gunman in Sutherland Springs had an assault rifle and was wearing black tactical gear and a ballistic vest.

After the shooting, the suspect was fired on by a local resident and sped away in a car. He was soon found dead by police.

It was unclear whether he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound or the resident's gunfire.

Multiple weapons were found in the suspect's vehicle and his home was being searched by authorities.

Police are trying to piece together why the former US Air Force member targeted the small-town church.

Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told CNN: "We don't think he had any connection to this church. We have no motive."