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Man opens fire inside Knoxville church; at least six people shot
WBIR.com ^ | 7/27/2008 | Katie Allison Granju

Posted on 07/27/2008 8:43:01 AM PDT by 2nd amendment mama

11:29 am

Steve Drevik says the suspect isn't believed to have any connection to the church.

11:19 am

Steve Drevik, a member of the TVUU Church spoke to media outside the church building, where media are assembled.

He says the suspect is now in custody.

Drevik says the shooting happened during a regular service, as children of the church were performing music from Annie for parishioners.

A man with long blond hair, who appeared to be in his 40s, walked into the sanctuary and opened fiire with a shotgun, shooting indiscriminately.

At least six or seven people were hit by the gunfire. They have been transported to UT Medical Center. Two are believed to be in serious condition.

No children are believed to have been hit by the gunfire.

Some of the children were taken next door to Second Presbyterian Church for shelter.

Numerous KPD officers are on the scene.

11:00 am

Multiple people have suffered gunshot wounds in what witnesses describe as a mass shooting inside a church in West Knoxville Sunday morning.

The shootings happened at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church on Kingston Pike.

A witness who spoke to 10 News said police had arrived and one person was being detained at the scene.

A children's production of "Annie" was taking place as part of the normal Sunday service at the time of the shooting, the witness, who is a member of the church, said. The gunman walked into a packed sanctuary and opened fire.

The number of people shot and the extent of their injuries has not been confirmed, but the witness said he saw at least five people shot.

Church members heard a loud boom during the church service, which began around 10:15 a.m., the witness said. Several other loud booms followed, and the witness said the gunman seemed to be shooting randomly across a row of people. Two congregants tackled the gunman, he said.

Many people fled to the Second Presbyterian Church after the shooting, and that church was placed on lockdown, according to a 10 News crew at the scene. People have since been allowed to return to the Unitarian church building, where police are questioning witnesses.

Stay with WBIR for the very latest on this rapidly developing story.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: banglist; churchshooting; knoxville
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To: mthornburg

Sorry! Just trying to explain “Annie” music.


61 posted on 07/27/2008 11:10:30 AM PDT by reg45
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To: ColdSteelTalon

Religon may have not been a factor in this. The church is located on the bussiest street in town and close to some trouble areas. A few months back a man was for no reasons shot and killed at a local resturant. The perp was later found and killed about a mile from this church. That section of Kingston Pike gets all kinds of traffic including local street people going from downtown to West Knoxville to eat. There is also a can handle anything state mental hospital close by. Just saying religon may not have been the target here.


62 posted on 07/27/2008 11:13:12 AM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: cva66snipe
There is also a can handle anything state mental hospital close by. Just saying religon may not have been the target here.

No way to know yet, until and if the police release information they develop in their investigation.

However it was surely preplanned. Most folks, even criminals, don't carry a loaded shotgun around with them, these days. Even though in some places, maybe they should.

63 posted on 07/27/2008 11:23:23 AM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: gracesdad

In our church there are generally people in the foyer greeting people. It may be that this person makes it into the main sanctuary, but the slightest hint of trouble should result in this person being put down quickly.

As it is people are just defenseless against this. I don’t like that.


64 posted on 07/27/2008 11:23:58 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (I'm a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 1, who won't be voting for McCain.)
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To: cva66snipe
Futher evidence that it was preplanned comes from the video on the linked page, where it was reported that the attacker came in carry the gun in a guitar case.

I don't know about you, but I use gun cases, of various sorts, to transport my long arms.

Must have been a fairly short shotgun. Maybe even one modified into an untaxed NFA weapon? If so, one more gun law that never saved anyone.

65 posted on 07/27/2008 11:29:35 AM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Roccus

Well some of the worst among us, sure have been in need of it.

Unfortunately.


66 posted on 07/27/2008 11:30:31 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (I'm a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 1, who won't be voting for McCain.)
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To: wardaddy

I didn’t pay attention to which church it was. Is the Unitarian leadership leftist leaning?


67 posted on 07/27/2008 11:31:19 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (I'm a non Soros non lefitst supporting maverick Gang of 1, who won't be voting for McCain.)
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To: gracesdad
"My bet is it has nothing whatsoever to do with hatred of faith. If that were the cause, why didn’t the guy attack a more fundamental place?"

Because most of those that have a hatred of "faith" don't know the difference between them.

68 posted on 07/27/2008 11:33:07 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: DoughtyOne
"This is what it’s all about folks. Any guy entering a church brandishing a shotgun should be dead meat before he can raise it and fire."

So how many times does your wife have to say "Doughty, put that gun away" when you whip out your sidearm every time someone walks in the door, sticks his hand inside his coat, and puts out his donation envelope?

69 posted on 07/27/2008 11:36:45 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: 2nd amendment mama

The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, was taken into custody without a fight after police arrived, Roehl said. Drevik said the man did not appear to be a church member.

The seven gunshot victims were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, just across the Tennessee River from the church, said Capt. Brent Seymour, a Knoxville Fire Department spokesman. All of the wounded appeared to be adults, Seymour said.

About 12 others were treated for minor injuries at the church, he said.

The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, was taken into custody without a fight after police arrived, Roehl said. Drevik said the man did not appear to be a church member.

“We don’t know this particular individual. We may never know why,” Drevik said. “All of this will come out in the next couple of days.”

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/27/church.shooting/?iref=mpstoryview


70 posted on 07/27/2008 11:38:31 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (The FReeper Foxhole. America's history, America's soul.)
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To: Zakeet
"In their attempt to be "free thinking" and "non-creedal," the UUs have become so liberal that they deny almost every doctrine of the Christian faith, replacing the worship of God with a worship of self, teaching that human reason and experience take precedence over the Word of God."

In other words, they aren't Christians, since they reject every aspect of Christianity.

"This people honors me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless; the doctrines they teach are only human regulations." (Matt.15:8-9).

"Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some secondhand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ." Colossians 2:6-8

Pretty much covers them.

71 posted on 07/27/2008 11:44:34 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: El Gato

Could have even been a break down single shot I hope not though.That would mean at least 5 chances to disarm him. Six people shot and if I read right more shot at. Now even with the plug out most hold what? 5 shells? Meaning he had time to do a reload too most likely. In close quarters the shot would not scatter that much.


72 posted on 07/27/2008 11:57:37 AM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: Zakeet

Per all of that? A cult. Most definitely.

THEY STILL DIDN’T DESERVE this......


73 posted on 07/27/2008 12:03:27 PM PDT by Brad’s Gramma (Typical Whitey Gramma just like Obamies!)
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To: cva66snipe

Even if religion were a factor, I question whether you can draw any conclusions from the particular religious doctrine of the church. The perp may have simply been targeting “a church.” He may not have had any idea what the church stood for.


74 posted on 07/27/2008 12:14:05 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: 2nd amendment mama

When a gunman opens fire anywhere, people are very likely to be killed before he can be stopped. What can be done, however, by citizens carrying weapons is to save as many people as possible by stopping him as SOON as possible.


75 posted on 07/27/2008 12:19:37 PM PDT by Quickgun
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To: Brilliant
Even if religion were a factor, I question whether you can draw any conclusions from the particular religious doctrine of the church. The perp may have simply been targeting “a church.” He may not have had any idea what the church stood for.

True enough. I know several persons who go to Unitarian Churches. They are live and let live people non radical and the least likely to try and force anything upon anyone especially their beliefs.

That stretch of road has many churches in about a 2 mile stretch two would have been empty this morning the Jewish and Seventh Day Adventist. All are right on the road a few almost literally. If it was a planned church attack it was a Smorgasbord to choose from in a close vicinity. Most all faiths are in that area including Ba'ha or whatever. {sp}

76 posted on 07/27/2008 12:23:57 PM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: mthornburg

Thank you. As I was going through the thread, I was preparing to post a similar point.


77 posted on 07/27/2008 12:25:23 PM PDT by Ghengis (Of course freedom is free. If it wasn't, it would be called expensivedom. ~Cindy Sheehan 11/11/06)
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To: El Gato

I just read another update. One woman was in a room off from the others saying she heard several shots. It sounds like the perp had a sawed off pump to me. {Guessing} That would explain better few shots being fired and 6 hits with a kill.


78 posted on 07/27/2008 12:37:36 PM PDT by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: ColdSteelTalon

But they did stop him. Two men tackled him after he had killed only one person.

If more people were willing to be brave and fight back like these Tennesseeans, regardless of whether they have a gun or not, I think these shootings would not happen so often. One man can’t mow down a whole room of people unless they all panic and run away.

Prayers for the family of the dead man, it sounds like he was also brave for blocking the killer’s way. And for the quick recovery of those who were wounded in the fight.


79 posted on 07/27/2008 12:46:54 PM PDT by CatherinePPP
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To: DoughtyOne
We hear talk about how terrible it would be to return to the wild west days.

Hah! The wild west was safer.

80 posted on 07/27/2008 12:57:26 PM PDT by oyez (Justa' another high minded lowlife.)
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