Widow of West Freeway Church of Christ Shooting Victim Says She Has Not Been Back Inside Sanctuary Since Attack

Two months after a gunman opened fire during Sunday service at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, the congregation is still living with what happened on December 29, 2019. The church and its members had planned for such an emergency, though no one had expected it.

A reporter from CBSDFW.com interviewed Minister Britt Farmer, his wife Lisa, and church member Glenda White. The reporter said he expected anguish and resentment, since Glenda White’s husband, Richard, was one of the two men killed that day. He asked her whether she was angry, and he described wondering how a person could avoid anger over what had been done to her husband.

The interview took place just outside the worship area, which remains sealed off since the shooting. Glenda White said she had not been back inside since that day. Farmer had been inside overseeing the start of a renovation, and during the interview White decided it was time to enter. It was her first time seeing the spot where her husband died. She also saw where the bullet holes in the walls have been patched.

Glenda White said she was seated in a pew near the front, in the center section, when she heard Richard shout, “Drop it.” She said she stood and turned at the sound of his voice, heard a shot, and did not see him. According to the account, he had risen from his chair and was reaching for a concealed weapon when the shooter took direct aim and fired.

Farmer described the response time that morning. “It was two minutes until police arrived. It was four minutes until EMT’s arrive,” he said.

Farmer, his wife Lisa, and Glenda White have all chosen to forgive the shooter. Farmer said of the man, “That man was somebody’s son, somebody’s brother, cousin, grandson, husband, dad. I didn’t know. I knew that he was troubled.” Their forgiveness comes as Glenda White stands in grief over the loss of her husband, a choice the family’s account links to comfort for those who mourn (Psalm 34:18).

The lobby where the interview was held was the center of chaos and confusion on the day of the shooting. Today, the church describes it as a place of comfort for those who visit West Freeway Church of Christ.

Source: Read the original report