Illinois pastor gunned down in pulpit

dixiehack · Mar 8, 2009

I probably shouldn't be stunned by anything I read anymore, but wow.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/Church_Shooting.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

MARYVILLE, Ill. — A pastor shot and killed during his Sunday sermon deflected the first of the gunman's four rounds with a Bible, sending a confetti-like spray of paper into the air in a horrifying scene that congregants initially thought was a skit, police said.

The gunman strode down the aisle of the sprawling First Baptist Church shortly after 8 a.m. and briefly spoke with The Rev. Fred Winters, then pulled out a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and began firing until it jammed, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said. Churchgoers wrestled the gunman to the ground as he waved a knife, slashing himself and two other people, Trent said.

None of the about 150 congregants seemed to recognize the gunman and investigators do not know details of Winters' conversation with him, but they planned to review an audio recording of the service, Trent said. The service was not videotaped.

"We thought it was part of a drama skit ... when he shot, what you saw was confetti," said congregant Linda Cunningham, whose husband is a minister of adult education at the church. "We just sat there waiting for what comes next, not realizing that he had wounded the pastor."

Winters had stood on an elevated platform to deliver his sermon about finding happiness in the workplace and managed to run halfway down the sanctuary's side aisle before collapsing, Cunningham said.

Two congregants tackled the gunman as he pulled the 4-inch knife, and all three were stabbed, police said. The gunman suffered "a pretty serious wound to the neck" while one congregant had lower back wounds, Trent said.

Congregants knocked the gunman between sets of pews, then held him down until police arrived, said church member Don Bohley, who was just outside the sanctuary when the shooting began.
Click to expand...

RickStain · Mar 8, 2009

Speaking as the son of an Illinois pastor, churches and clergy attracting crazy people isn't suprising. But it is awful and sad

printdust · Mar 8, 2009

http://www.fbmaryville.org/aboutus/welcome.cfm

This puts a face on this. Prayers for his family. I can only hope the kids didn't witness this.

lono · Mar 9, 2009

Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with people??

Del_B_Vista · Mar 9, 2009

More coverage from a local paper:
http://www.bnd.com/homepage/story/681453.html

Log in or Sign up

Illinois pastor gunned down in pulpit

dixiehack Well-Known Member

RickStain Well-Known Member

printdust New Member

lono Active Member

Del_B_Vista Active Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Illinois pastor gunned down in pulpit

dixiehack Well-Known Member

RickStain Well-Known Member

printdust New Member

lono Active Member

Del_B_Vista Active Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches