Emergency personnel respond to a fatal shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017. (Photos: AP)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Defense (DOD) said they have launched an investigation into how the criminal records for Devin P. Kelley may have been mishandled. Kelley, who received a dishonorable discharge in 2014 for bad conduct, killed at least 26 people when he opened fire at a church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday.
In 2012, he was court-martialed for assaulting his wife and reportedly fracturing his stepson’s skull, which prohibits him from purchasing and owning a firearm. Here is the full statement emailed to People’s Pundit Daily (PPD) Monday night:
Following yesterday’s tragic events in Texas, the Department of Defense has requested the DoD Inspector General in concert with the Air Force to review the handling of criminal records in the case of former Airman Devin P. Kelley after his 2012 domestic violence convictions.
Kelley was found guilty by a general court martial on two charges of domestic assault against his wife and stepson under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He was sentenced to 12 months confinement at Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar in California before being released with a Bad Conduct Discharge and reduction in grade to E-1.
In addition to a comprehensive review directed by Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein, the DoD IG will initiate an investigation to determine whether information about Kelley’s conviction was properly entered into the National Criminal Information Center database. The DoD IG will also review relevant policies and procedures to ensure records from other cases across DoD have been reported correctly.
Kelley, an apparent atheist, was convicted on two charges of domestic assault and served 12 months in confinement at the Naval Consolidated Brig in California.
