US Air Force Failed To Flag Up Gunman’s Violent Past

The US Air Force has admitted its mistake allowed the man behind a mass shooting at a church in Texas to buy weapons.

Devin Kelley was convicted by a military court five years ago of assaulting his first wife and was consequently barred from owning or buying guns.

That should have shown up on a background check, but the Air Force never added the conviction to a database.

This meant that Kelley was able to purchase the rifle he used to kill 26 people in Sunday’s attack on a small church outside San Antonio.

Kelley then fled the scene, but 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.

A citizen also shot Kelley in his leg and Torso, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Freeman Martin, said to 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."

The US Air Force have now stated that they are investigating the handling of Kelley’s criminal records.