5 shot at Illinois church, police say

CNN ^ | 3/08/09 | cnn

[LA Woman3]

Pastor is killed in Maryville church shooting

By Joel Currier and Michelle Munz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/08/2009

MARYVILLE -- Police say they do not know why a man walked into a service at the First Baptist Church in Maryville this morning and fatally shot the pastor.

The Rev. Fred Winters, said to be in his 40s, died at nearby Anderson Hospital of a gunshot wound to the chest, officials said.

The attacker, whose identity has not been released, was in custody at a St. Louis hospital where he was being treated for self-inflicted stab wounds. He was reported to be in serious condition.

Ralph Timmins of the Illinois State Police said the incident happened shortly after the service started about 8:15 a.m., with about 150 people present. The attacker walked to the pulpit, exchanged words with Winters and then shot him once.

Timmins said the .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol then jammed, and the gunman began stabbing himself with a knife. When members of the congregation moved to subdue him, two of them were slashed. Timmins said they suffered wounds that are not life-threatening .

Police would not say whether the attacker was a member of the church, located at 7710 State Highway 162.

[PghBaldy]

Here is a blog with more info: http://respublica.typepad.com/respublica/2009/03/first-baptist-church-in-maryville-shooting.html

[2ndClassCitizen]

My church is in Maryland. Ripe for the picking.

[umgud]

I live in CA and there are no prohibitions on CCW in churches.

[armymarinemom]

Thank you. It’s blessing I guess that his daughters were not there to see this.

[PghBaldy]

You are welcome.

[libsmacker75]

Expect much more of this now that Communists and secular humanists are encouraging this sort of violence on conservatives and believers.

[armymarinemom]

Sad to say you are right. Hate abounds.

[El Gato]

Probably not. Probably hunting/utility knives. The area appears to a be a typical small town too close to a large metro area. Houses appear fairly new, church definitely fairly new.

Town is about 10 miles on the Illinois side of the Mississippi across from St. Louis.

This is the church.

[mylife]

Parishioners and clergy are packing in Tx

[Mac from Cleveland]

Gives new meaning to “Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition”....

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Heard on the radio,when returning from the plant, that the gun jammed, and the perp had the knife and started stabbing himself!

[Raycpa]

Based on the circumstance, carrying a weapon would not have kept the pastor from being shot. The man had close access before shooting and seemed intent on suicide. We can barely protect the president of the US from this kind of attack.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

I can prove, yet again, that liberal "feelings" usually have good intentions,

The only rational reason for political leaders to outlaw firearms is so they can enforce laws against the will of the governed without fear of reprisal. This is not a good intention. There is no way you can prove your assertion.

[MinuteGal]

Maryville is near St. Louis on the Illinois side of the Missouri state line. About 1800 families live there and median income is around $60,000. It's about 94% white, 4% African-American and 2% Latino and others (all percentages U.S. Census Burea 2000).

The perp may well be a "visitor" from the big city to the west.

Leni

[mom4melody]

A hollowed out bible makes for a discreet holster.....

[El Gato]

"You brought a knife to a gunfight?!!"

It's Illinois, one of only two states that have no provision for law abiding citizens to carry a gun on their person. The down state folk really hate the Chicago machine that keeps it that way. That Chicago machine is now firmly entrenched in the Federal Executive Branch.

[Twinkie]

The last time I was in a church (last month) some large guys stood at the doors looking imposing, not like the usual “ushers” we all remember from long ago.

[skr]

Google Earth does not transmit in real time. It buys older images from other companies which use the real-time imagery while its profitable. Buildings that were completed about a year ago in our area are still under construction when I checked.

[SLB]

Our church is close to the same size and has several members of various local law enforcement agencies who attend. This morning there was one city police car in the parking lot with the “driver” having just come off duty and still wearing his uniform and carrying in “very” plain sight. In addition there was one state trooper there for the service I attended and I know that is has at least two guns on his person at any one time. Add to that mix the various CCW carriers and we probably could muster close to a dozen armed men during a service with 600 attending. Not a bad ratio.