Devin Patrick Kelley, the gunman who walked into a Texas church Sunday and opened fire on churchgoers, killing 26 including the pastor’s teenage daughter, was an atheist.
According to MailOnline, Kelley was a ‘militant atheist’ who “was always talking about how people who believe in God we’re [sic] stupid”.
The UK tabloid monitored comments on Facebook from people who knew Kelley before he died in the wake of the shooting.

Nina Rose Nava, a former classmate of the killer, 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”.

Christopher Leo Longoria replied: “I removed him off FB for those same reasons! He was being super nagtive (sic) all the timd (sic).”

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.”
Patrick Boyce, a former High school mate, also wrote that: “He was the first atheist I met. He went Air Force after high school, got discharged but I don’t know why. I was just shocked [to hear the news]. Still haven’t quite processed how he could have done that.”
Kelley died after he was shot by a local Sutherland Springs resident whilst trying to escape from the First Baptist Church following the shooting. Police found more guns and explosives in his vehicle.
A former Air Force officer, he received a dishonourable discharge in 2014, after he was court martialled for assaulting his wife and kid. Police are yet to officially reveal his motive for the crime.
Although many commenters are attributing the crime to his anti religious views, MailOnline also confusingly note that Kelley volunteered to teach Bible Classes at a local church.