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The suspect allegedly behind a shooting at an Alabama church that saw two seniors killed was a regular attendee at the house of worship, cops have revealed.
Speaking to the press Friday, police said the gunman was in attendance at he Alabama Episcopalian church at the time of the shooting Thursday, at a meeting billed as a ‘Boomers’ Potluck.’
The suspect, identified as a 71-year-old white male and an ‘occasional attendee of the church’ Friday, pulled out the firearm roughly an hour into 5pm event, and shot three attendees, two fatally.
The gunman had reportedly concealed the gun, a pistol, before opening fire at the potluck dinner.
Police said a ‘hero’ Good Samaritan who also attended the event prevented more casualties by restraining the suspect at the scene, tackling and holding him to the ground until police arrived.
At a news conference Friday morning, Vestavia Hills police provided some details on the shooting, such as the identities of the victims – but did not release a name or motive for the incarcerated suspect, who faces capital murder charges.
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Captain Shane Ware of Vestavia Hills revealed Wednesday the currently incarcerated suspect allegedly behind the shooting at an Alabama church Thursday was a regular and attended a small church meeting before killings two fellow attendees and injuring one
The shooting, which saw one other congregator injured, transpired Thursday just after 6pm, at the church in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham
Police said the gunman was in attendance at the church, Alabama Episcopalian, at the time of the shooting, at a meeting billed as a ‘Boomers’ Potluck’
The ‘Boomers Potluck’ event was advertised on the church website. Police said the gunman, identified as a 71-year-old white male, brandished a gun and opened fire at other senior attendees, killing two and injuring one
Addressing reporters Friday, Captain Shane Ware revealed the suspect produced the firearm, a handgun he had been concealing, about an hour into the assembly, mainly attended by senior-aged worshippers.
‘Our investigation, while ongoing, has revealed that an occasional attendee of the church that I will only identify as a white male aged 71 was at the dinner,’ Ware said.
‘At some point he produced a concealed handgun and began shooting striking the three victims.’
Ware said the first victim, 84-year-old Walter Rainey, of Irondale, was shot and killed at the scene.
The second to be slain, 75-year-old Sarah Yeager, of Pelham, died of her injuries at nearby University of Alabama Hospital, the chief said. She died just prior to 9:30pm.
He added that an 84-year-old attendee, Jane Pounds, of Hoover, was shot but survived, and remains in the hospital.
Ware did not specify how many times or where exactly the seniors had been shot, nor did he reveal the extent of the survivor’s injuries. The three victims were all white.
A panicked priest was filmed running from the scene at the Alabama Episcopalian church, in a suburb of Birmingham, which was hosting the neighborhood gathering.
Ware said the suspect, who police said acted alone, was subdued shortly after brandishing the pistol, by an unidentified attendee at the potluck event.
‘Another attendee at the event subdued the suspect and held him down until law enforcement arrived,’ Ware said.
He called the Good Samaritan a ‘hero’ who saved ‘countless lives.’
Ware said he was not sure how many people were in attendance at the dinner, and that the suspect’s identity would likely be revealed later Friday, after warrants are signed.
The chief, however, did allude that the suspect may have already been known to police when questioned on the matter by a reporter.
‘Any past interactions involving this suspect are currently being investigated by numerous agencies. It would be premature to go into this topic,’ Ware said.
He added that the suspect had ‘previously attended services at this church, but as far as the motive behind this event, they are being looked into by multiple agencies.’
He said ‘it would be inappropriate for me to comment’ further on the matter, while it was still being investigated.
He denied to comment on whether the weapon used by the suspect was legally obtained or not.
Multiple first responders attended the scene of the attack on Thursday evening
The shooting started just after 6pm, local police have said.
‘At approximately 6:22 PM Central Time the Vestavia Hills Police Department responded to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church located at 3775 Crosshaven Drive Vestavia Hills, AL on a call of an active shooter,’ the police wrote on Facebook.
Multiple law enforcement agencies and fire departments were at the scene Thursday well into the night.
‘The VHPD confirms multiple people were shot,’ police confirmed in a statement. ‘The suspect is in custody.’
Rev. Kelley Hudlow with the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama said they did not know how many people were inside the building at the time.
She said the congregation were inside the church, when someone came in and started shooting.
‘There were folks at church. There has been a shooting, and there are folks that have been injured,’ she said.
‘We are working to get more information, to take care of the people who were there..
‘We are praying for healing and safety for all of those who have been impacted and affected.
‘We are praying for everyone involved and we are trying to get as much information about what happened as we can get.’
Hudlow said it was ‘a scary thing’.
She urged the community to ‘do what this community is really good at – and that’s coming together, through prayers and thoughts and anything else.’
Police in Vestavia Hills, six miles from downtown Birmingham, Alabama, confirmed that ‘multiple people’ were shot in a church on Thursday evening
Kelley Hudlow, a priest with the Episcopal Church of Alabama, said the shooting was ‘scary’ and urged everyone to send prayers
A prayer circle formed in a parking lot near the church on Thursday night
People held hands in a prayer circle in Vestavia Hills on Thursday night
On Thursday night well-wishers gathered in the parking lot of the church, holding hands in a prayer circle.
‘What you are seeing is hope, folks,’ said Jonathan Hardison, WBRC anchor.
‘You are seeing healing, with those folks standing together.’
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