White Settlement, TX–In a fitting move, Texas Governor Greg Abbott will bestow a medal on the hero from the West Freeway Church of Christ shooting on December 29th.
Jack Wilson was the head of the church’s security team that day. He was a hero when he drew his gun and stopped a violent man from killing more people on that tragic Sunday morning. In recognition of Wilson’s quick thinking, steady hand, and courage when it was needed, Governor Abbott is giving him the Governor’s Medal of Courage.
The pinning ceremony will take place on Monday, January 13th at the Governor’s mansion in Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott made the announcement, and then said that the award “is given to civilians who display great acts of heroism by risking their own safety to save another’s life.”
That’s Jack Wilson, of course. And any other man or woman who would use their own weapon to stop a threat to the lives and safety of others.
A Hero By Any Measure
Jack Wilson pulled his gun and shot Keith Kinnunen one time in the head after Kinnunen pulled a shotgun out in the middle of the church service. He was able to shoot and murder two people inside the church before Jack shot him. It all happened in less than five seconds.
When asked the day after the shooting how he felt about what had happened, Jack answered that he was sad to have lost two friends at church that day. He went on to say, “I don’t feel like I killed an individual. I feel like I killed evil. That’s how I’m approaching it and that’s how I’m processing it.”
The two friends Jack was referring two were Kinnunen’s two victims: Anton “Tony” Wallace and Richard White.
While it’s understandable that he regrets the sad loss of his friends, Governor Abbott and the other folks in that church recnognize that there could have been a lot more dead bodies if not for Jack Wilson.
We’ll keep you posted and will update the story with pictures of the ceremony on Monday. The ceremony is set for 11:00 am.