▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁the ▁dead liest ▁mass ▁shooting ▁in ▁Texas ▁and ▁the ▁fifth - de ad liest ▁mass ▁shooting ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁dead liest ▁shooting ▁in ▁an ▁American ▁place ▁of ▁worship ▁in ▁modern ▁history , ▁sur pass ing ▁the ▁Char l eston ▁church ▁shooting ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁and ▁the ▁W add ell ▁Buddh ist ▁temple ▁shooting ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁K elle y ▁was ▁prohib ited ▁by ▁law ▁from ▁purch asing ▁or ▁possess ing ▁fire ar ms ▁and ▁am mun ition ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁domestic ▁violence ▁conv iction ▁in ▁a ▁court - mart ial ▁while ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force . ▁The ▁Air ▁Force ▁failed ▁to ▁record ▁the ▁conv iction ▁in ▁the ▁Federal ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Investig ation ▁( F BI ) ▁National ▁Crime ▁Information ▁Center ▁database , ▁which ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Inst ant ▁Check ▁System ▁to ▁flag ▁prohib ited ▁purch ases . ▁The ▁error ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁to ▁begin ▁a ▁review . ▁ ▁Sho oting ▁A ▁few ▁minutes ▁after ▁ 1 1 ▁a . m ., ▁K elle y ▁arrived ▁in ▁a ▁p ear l ▁white ▁Ford ▁Explorer ▁SU V ▁at ▁the ▁First ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁in ▁S uther land ▁Spr ings . ▁▁▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 1 : 2 0 a . m ., ▁K elle y ▁stepped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁SU V , ▁we aring ▁black ▁tact ical ▁g ear , ▁a ▁ball istic ▁vest , ▁and ▁a ▁black ▁face - mask ▁featuring