Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held a ceremony Monday outside the Texas Governors’ mansion to honor the man who stopped a shooter at a Texas church.
Jack Wilson, the man who stopped a gunman with one shot at West Freeway Church of Christ, near Fort Worth, Texas, was presented with the Governor’s Medal of Courage for his heroic act. Wilson is an armed church security guard at the church and used his gun to take down the shooter.
WATCH:
Today I presented the Governor’s Medal of Courage to Jack Wilson.
He’s the hero who risked his life to save the lives of others by stopping a gunman in a deadly shooting at a church near Fort Worth.
It’s the highest award given to civilians in Texas. #txlege pic.twitter.com/UPaWjmsjTi
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 13, 2020
Abbott said the award “is the highest award given to civilians by the Governor,” in a tweet. (RELATED: ‘Evil Exists’: Trump-Supporting Armed Congregant Speaks Out In Viral Post After Taking Out Church Shooter)
On Monday I will present the Governor’s Medal of Courage to man who stopped a gunman in a deadly shooting at a church in North Texas.
It is the highest award given to civilians by the Governor. https://t.co/bhNyGLQygs
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 10, 2020
“Although we mourn the loss of Tony Wallace and Rich White, we also thank God for putting Jack Wilson in that church that day to bring the attack to an end and to prevent the loss of further life. Only God knows who is alive today because of Jack Wilson. What we do know is that so many lives were saved because of Jack Wilson’s quick action, his calmness under pressure, and above all else his courage and his willingness to risk his own life to save the lives of others,” Abbott said at the ceremony. (RELATED: Reuters Retracts Story After Inaccurate Quote About Texas Church Shooter)
“When faced with an evil few of us can comprehend, Jack Wilson responded with strength, with bravery, and with love for those in the church that day,” Abbott continued. “That is the kind of man Jack Wilson is… Jack I know that you have been reluctant to accept the label of being called a hero. But that is exactly who you are. You are a hero.”