The US Air Force has said it is investigating its apparent failure to enter information about Texas gunman Devin Patrick Kelley’s criminal history into the national database.
Ex-airman Kelley was court-martialled for domestic violence in 2012, and was barred from owning or buying guns. But last year he was able to purchase a rifle he used in Sunday’s attack on a small church outside San Antonio. He killed 26 people and fled the scene. He was later found dead in his car.
Police said he died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound after being chased by armed bystanders.
Kelley was also shot in his leg and torso by a citizen, the regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Freeman Martin, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
In a statement, the Air Force said: «Initial information indicates that [Devin] Kelley’s domestic violence offense was not entered into the National Criminal Information Center database by the Holloman Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations.» It said it was now — together with the Department of Defense — investigating the handling of Kelley’s criminal records.