Stephen Willeford is a native of Sutherland Springs, Texas, raised on a dairy farm near the First Baptist Church, where his family has lived for four generations. An avid sportsman, he began shooting at a young age, honing his skills through competitive shooting and later becoming an NRA-certified instructor. On November 5, 2017, Willeford gained national recognition as the “good guy with a gun” when he confronted and injured a mass shooter at the First Baptist Church, helping to stop the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history, which claimed 26 lives and wounded 20 others. Armed with his AR-15, he engaged the shooter, Devin Kelley, hitting him multiple times, and pursued him with a local resident, Johnnie Langendorff, until the shooter took his own life after crashing his vehicle.

Willeford now serves as the Grassroots & Industry Liaison for Gun Owners of America (GOA), traveling across the country to advocate for Second Amendment rights and train churches to establish safety response teams. He credits his faith and preparedness for his actions during the incident, emphasizing the importance of armed citizens in stopping threats. A professional plumber with nearly 35 years of experience, Willeford earned his license from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprenticeship School in San Antonio. He has been married to Pam Farmer Willeford for 33 years and has six children. In 2018, he spoke at the NRA Convention, was an honored guest at the State of the Union address, and was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Private Security Board.

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