The bullet that sliced through Rosanne Solis’ shoulder entered through her back as the grandmother of four lay under a church pew, trying to hide from a gunman firing down on congregants.
“I knew that bullet was going to hit my head and I told the Lord, I want to live, Father,” Solis said. “I don’t want to die, Father.”
Solis was attending the 11 a.m. service on Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. She said the service began with announcements, thanking congregants for participating in the Fall Festival held by the church on Halloween. Solis said the sermon had not started yet, the congregation was singing when they heard gunshots.
“I could see the bullets flying like that,” Solis said, gesturing to show the bullets coming straight down.
She could smell gunpowder and see the carpet in front of her splintering.
The shooting stopped, she remembered, and for a few moments she thought it was over, but the gunman began firing again.
During a briefing on Monday, authorities confirmed the gunman was inside the church for “some length of time” and moved around freely.
Solis said she saw the gunman’s shoes walking through the church as she hid.
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She said it appeared he fired at people indiscriminately.
“I don’t know, I don’t know what to think anymore. This world is full of so much anger,” Solis said.
Her husband, who was able to run out of the church once the shooting began, recalled the gunman saying, “Everybody die, mother------.”
Solis said after the shooting stopped, her sister came to the church and drove her to a nearby hospital. She was later transferred to a San Antonio hospital by ambulance, where she said she underwent surgery on her shoulder.
Recovering at home in bed, Solis told NBC 5 she doesn’t see herself returning to church and will instead study the Bible at home.
“I love the Lord,” Solis said. “I will always have my faith. It doesn’t matter what happened.”
But she added she won't go to church: “I’m scared. From here on, I will study at home.”
