FORT WORTH, TX. (THECOUNT) — Amy Kinnunen, the sister of the man who opened fire on a Texas church congregation, says she believes why he may have carried out the heinous attack that killed two churchgoers Sunday.
Tulsa resident, Amy Kinnunen says Keith Kinnunen lived a troubled childhood and spent years in and out of jail, adding he was “extremely religious.”
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“He was a lost soul that had demons from a childhood, I keep repeating this but we are products from our environment,” Amy Kinnunen said.
“Why he did it this way, I have no idea. He did it in the church because he was extremely religious, and I feel like that I’m confident that he was praying to the good Lord up to the last minute.”
Kinnunen’s sister believes he may have been triggered by the birthday of his younger brother who committed suicide years ago, reports KJRH.
“I hate to use the word perfect, but it was Sunday, it was his brother’s birthday, and he just, demons just ended up getting a hold of him.”
Death by suicide, she believes, down to the disguise he wore to the church that had fed him several times before.
Kinnunen, 43, was only able to squeeze off two shots before being fatally struck by armed churchgoers.
“There was compassion they knew him as a person. Going in there with a beard and fake hair, nobody would’ve known who he was and it would have been easier to pull the trigger,” says Amy.
To Jack Wilson, hailed a hero for bringing down her brother, in a single shot, Amy says, “He did what he had to do. I think my brother wanted it to go down the way it went down, unfortunately.”
And most of all to the families of the two men murdered by her brother, Amy says, “My prayers are with them and that’s all I can do at this point.”
Authorities found a letter next to Kinnunen’s body, reportedly addressed to his son here in Oklahoma.
Amy doesn’t know what it contains but says he often wrote to his son, even though they had a rocky relationship.
A video of the incident showed Kinnunen taken down by churchgoers and what appears to be a security officer within a few seconds after opening fire at the Sunday service.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Fort Worth is a city in North Central Texas. In the late 19th century, it became an important trading post for cowboys at the end of the Chisholm Trail. Today, it’s a modern city, with international art institutions like the Kimbell Art Museum. The Fort Worth Stockyards are home to rodeos, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors pioneers – wikipedia.