Texas mother who was a gun advocate fatally shoots two daughters before being killed by police

A Texas woman who was an outspoken gun owner shot and killed her two daughters on before being killed by police on Friday, local law enforcement officials confirmed.

Police identified the two victims as Taylor Sheats, 22, and Madison Sheats, 17. Their mother was identified as Christy Sheats, 42. They lived in a suburb of Houston.

Police told the Houston Chronicle that it appeared it was a family disturbance. When Fulshear, Texas, police arrived on the scene, they found the two daughters lying in the street after being shot. One daughter was reportedly deceased and the other was taken to Texas Medical Center, where she died.

The police said Christy was still holding a pistol, and they shot her after she refused to lower it.

An eyewitness told ABC 13 that Taylor, Madison and their father, Jason Sheats, were seen running outside of the house, and the daughters were reportedly already wounded. Taylor reportedly collapsed in the street and Christy allegedly shot Madison in the back before going inside to reload.

Jason reportedly escaped unharmed and called police from a neighbor’s house.

Christy posted frequently on her Facebook page, including a post in September praising her daughters as “my two amazing, sweet, kind, beautiful, intelligent girls. I love and treasure you both more than you could ever possibly know.”

It’s unclear what led to the shooting or if anyone in the family suffered from mental illness.

Christy wrote on Facebook about her support of the Second Amendment, including a post in March that included a pro-gun commercial. She wrote “it would be horribly tragic if my ability to protect myself or my family were to be taken away, but that’s exactly what Democrats are determined to do by banning semi-automatic handguns.”

Taylor, for her part, posted in April about the Second Amendment.

Friends and neighbors posted despondent messages on Facebook in the wake of the shooting. Madison was reportedly about to be a senior at Seven Lakes High School and worked as a babysitter. Taylor worked as a babysitter as well, and her Facebook page listed her as a student at Lone Star College.

“Today we lost one of our girls,” one woman posted on the Seven Lakes Alumni page. “I remember Taylor as such a sweet, kindhearted girl, always smiling. We knew each other through softball/soccer which shared the women’s locker room throughout high school.”

“Taylor lived in my neighborhood back in high school,” another woman wrote on the alumni page. “I met her when I first moved to the street. She was an amazing sweet girl, I can’t believe this. Praying for her family.”

“My heart is broken this morning to find that my sweet Madison Sheats lost her life,” posted Whitney Mae Bruce, who wrote that she was one of Madison’s teachers. “Always positive and smiling, Madison quickly became one of my favorite students four years ago while teaching for the first time in Katy. A wonderful student/person/babysitter will be missed enormously. Please pray for her father.”