Two dead and one wounded in a shooting during a livestreamed service at a church in Texas

The service at the West Freeway Church of Christ was being live-streamed at the time of the shooting. Photo / Supplied

A gunman who opened fire in a church during a busy service in Texas, killing one person and critically injuring another, was in turn shot and killed by a quick-thinking armed worshipper.

Police rushed to the scene of an active shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ in the suburbs of Fort Worth the West Freeway Church of Christ.

The service was being livestreamed to social media and vision of the moment of the attack shows the gunman, wearing a coat, stand and remove a shotgun.

The service at the West Freeway Church of Christ was being live-streamed at the time of the shooting. Photo / Supplied

He began shooting, with panicked people ducking for cover, before a congregant at the back of the room stood, retrieved his pistol and returned firing.

Police say a number of other armed worshippers also pulled out their weapons. The attacker died at the scene from his injuries.

One person was killed and a second parishioner has life-threatening injuries.

White Settlement police chief JP Bevering told Reuters the gunman was shot by at least two worshippers who were armed and returned fire.

"The threat is stopped based on the heroic actions of the two parishioners in the church," Mr Bevering said.

An elder at the church told the New York Times that the man killed was a security guard who responded to the shooter, calling him a dear friend.

A worshipper stood and used his own weapon to shoot dead the attacker. Photo / Supplied

Statement on shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement: pic.twitter.com/Crrrvavvs6

— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) December 29, 2019

"He was trying to do what he needed to do to protect the rest of us," said the elder, Mike Tinius. "It's extremely upsetting to see anyone committing violence."

Daniel Munoz reaches for his injured back during an interview in Odessa, Texas. Photo / AP

Mr Tinius said he didn't know the gunman and that the shooting appeared to be random.

The Fort Worth Fire Department issued an "active threat" assignment and was assisting operations at the scene, according to reports.

A witness told a local CBS affiliate that a man armed with a shotgun walked up to a server during communion and opened fire.

A person stands near the scene of a church shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ on Sunday. Photo / AP

"You feel like your life is flashing before you. I was so worried about my little one," witness Isabel Arreola told the network.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to the shooting by asking people to pray for the victims and their loved ones.

"Places of worship are meant to be sacred, and I am grateful for the church members who acted quickly to take down the shooter and help prevent further loss of life," Mr Abbott said in a tweeted statement.

It is not the first deadly shooting to take place at a church in Texas.

Authorities continue to work the scene of a fatal shooting where multiple people were shot at a church. Photo / AP

In November 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire on the congregation at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing more than two dozen worshippers, before taking his own life.

"Unfortunately, this country has seen so many of these that we've actually gotten used to it at this point. And it's tragic and it's a terrible situation, especially during the holiday season," Jeoff Williams, a regional director with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a news conference.

"I would like to point out that we have a couple of heroic parishioners who stopped short of just anything that you can even imagine, saved countless lives, and our hearts are going out to them and their families as well."

Authorities have released scant details about the victims, the shooter and what led to the attack.

The shooting came a day after an assailant with a knife stabbed five people at a Hanukkah party in New York.