Former classmates of Texas church shooter Devin Kelley say he was a ‘creepy’, ‘crazy’ and ‘weird,’ person who preached about atheism on the internet. On Sunday, Kelley opened fire inside First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, outside of San Antonio, killing 26 people and injuring 24.
y Mail UK reports:
Patrick Boyce, who attended New Braunfels High School with the killer, told DailyMail.com: ‘He had a kid or two, fairly normal, but kinda quiet and lately seemed depressed.
‘He was the first atheist I met. He went Air Force after high school, got discharged but I don’t know why.
[…]
Nina Rose Nava, who went to school with the gunman, wrote on Facebook: ‘In (sic) in complete shock! I legit just deleted him off my fb cause I couldn’t stand his post.
‘He was always talking about how people who believe in God we’re stupid and trying to preach his atheism’
[…]
Michael Goff added: ‘He was weird but never that damn weird, always posting his atheist sh** like Nina wrote, but damn he always posted pics of him and his baby – crazy.’
[…]
‘He was an outcast but not a loner. He was popular among other outcast. I haven’t spoke to him since high school.’
Another former classmate, who asked to remain anonymous, told DailyMail.com: ‘I grew up going to school with him… Always creeped me out and was different.’
According to his now deleted Facebook page, it appears Kelley was indeed a fan of atheism, having “liked,” pages such as ‘Friendly Atheist,’ and ‘Atheist Republic.’
As he grew older, Kelley’s social problems followed him into his work and family life. The Texas church gunman was reportedly court-martialed for assaulting his wife and child in 2012.
“Texas church shooter was court-martialed in 2012 for assault on his spouse and their child and received a Bad Conduct Discharge,” reports NBC News.
“US Air Force to VOA #texasshooting 1/3 Devin P. Kelley was former USAF member-served at Holloman AFB NM, from 2010 until discharge in 2014. Kelley was court-martialed in 2012 for two counts of Article 128 UCMJ–assault on his spouse and assault on their child. Air Force to VOA-Kelley received a Bad Conduct Discharge, confinement for 12 months & a reduction to the grade of E-1,” tweeted VOA’s Carla Babb