It can happen anywhere.

Police have identified the masked gunman behind the fatal mass shooting at a Nashville church on Sunday as Emanuel Kidega Samson.

Melanie Smith, 39, of Smyrna, died and another six were injured when Samson, 25, opened fire in the parking lot of Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, 30 minutes southeast of Nashville in Antioch, as services let out at 11.15am.

The attack only stopped thanks to the brave actions of an armed church usher.

Robert Engle, 22, identified by friends on social media, had ran up to confront Samson and was pistol-whipped by the shooter, Aaron explained.

‘There was a significant struggle between the two,’ he said. ‘During the struggle, the gunman shot himself, probably not intentionally.’

‘This particular church member has a handgun carry permit,’ Aaron added. ‘The usher went to his vehicle, got his gun, came back inside and made sure the gunman didn’t make anymore movements until the police department arrived.’

The shooter’s condition is not life-threatening and he is under heavy police guard at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Aaron said.