Sutherland Springs family loses three members in deadly church shooting
Two young children and a mother are dead following a horrific shooting in Sutherland Springs, Tex.
A relative confirmed that Joann Ward, her daughter Brooke Ward, 5, and Emily Garza, 7, are among the 26 people killed inside the First Baptist Church on Sunday morning.
They are survived by Chris Ward, mistakenly identified as the shooter in early reports after the attack.
His sister-in-law Leslie Ward told the Daily News she rushed to the church after hearing the gunfire from her home.
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Upon entering, she found Joann and Chris' 5-year-old son Ryland Ward lying among the pews in the sanctuary.
"I found my nephew in the front, in pain," she told The News.
"It was bad. There was just dead bodies everywhere. It wasn't what I wanted to see but at the time, I wasn't worried about it. I was worried about finding my family."
She held him and comforted him until help arrived.
VIDEO: Gregg Popovich reacts to Sutherland Springs shooting
Ryland was shot four times in the attack and flown by helicopter to University Hospital in San Antonio where he underwent surgery, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The aunt said that he's in stable condition.
The Dallas Morning News reported that Ryland had several bullets removed from his stomach, groin and arm.
"Ryland is the only one left," McKinley Ward, the children's cousin, told the outlet through tears.
Leslie remembered the Ward children as "good little kids."
"Now my brother-in-law is all alone. I just gotta be strong for him," she said of Chris.
Michael Ward, the boy's uncle, said he continues to fear the worst for Ryland.
"They got him all cut open, from the gunshots," Michael said. "I don't think he's going to make it."
Michael Ward told the newspaper the children's father Chris received confirmation of the deaths from his brother via phone.
He also said his brother's eldest daughter had her glasses shot off her face during the shooting, but survived.
There are conflicting reports about the child's status at this time.
His own daughter, McKinley Ward, was supposed to be at the First Baptist Church that morning with her grandparents, but decided to stay home.
Her grandmother, Lupe Ragalado, told the Dallas Morning News it was God's will.
"We were going to go to church, me and McKinley," she told the publication. "I guess God said, 'Don't go.'"
Nicole Hensley reported from Sutherland Springs, Tex.
