Police: Ill. pastor deflected gunshot with Bible

[nola_]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090308/ap_on_re_us/church_shooting

MARYVILLE, Ill. – A pastor shot and killed during his Sunday sermon deflected the first of the gunman's four rounds with a Bible, spraying a confetti of paper into the air during 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 before pulling out a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and shooting at the pastor, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said.

"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."

The weapon jammed before the man could fire again, Trent said. The attacker then pulled out a four-inch knife, stabbing himself and two men who tackled him, he said.

 

[CajunTim]

I would like to know details on the reasoning behind the shooting.

Religious zealots scare me; but not as much as armed religious zealots.

 

[geauxbubba]

What is it about Illinois thats tells me they are not a model state to tell the rest of of how to live?

 

[SeventhSon]

And yet one other reason why I carry at church.

 

[JBP55]

And yet one other reason why I carry at church.

Plus 1., Every church should have a security team. I know some do locally but no names for security reasons.

 

[kcinnick]

The Security team SHOULD be the well armed congregation.

 

[Quickdraw22]

And yet one other reason why I carry at church.

I would not say this out loud.......

IIRC, it may or may not be illegal to carry in a place of worship......

 

[SpeedRacer]

I would not say this out loud.......

IIRC, it may or may not be illegal to carry in a place of worship......

You are right, it is NOT legal to carry in church. But like they say...better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

In this case, I don't think an armed person would have saved the pastor's life, but would definitely have helped the attacker take his own, which works for me. I really don't even understand why two people risked their lives to subdue the killer considering he was only a threat to himself at that point.

 

[meisal]

That's the problem. We can't carry in our churches legally and the idiot crooks know that.
I am a pastor and we do have leo's carrying but I should have the right to have mine on me also.
I never go in the church building without my weapon except for the worship services.

I'm getting in touch once again with our state folk and urge them to get this fixed.
It would be great if everyone on this site would contact them also whether you go to church or not.
How about trying to help us out!

 

[mrdbeau]

I would like to know details on the reasoning behind the shooting.

Religious zealots scare me; but not as much as armed religious zealots.

Most people who shoot up churches do so for reasons other than religion. I suspect most of the time they are garden variety nutjobs.

 

[charlie12]

My cousin was a Air Marshal and is now a preacher. He would put a 357SIG round in you.

 

[artabr]

That's the problem. We can't carry in our churches legally and the idiot crooks know that.
I am a pastor and we do have leo's carrying but I should have the right to have mine on me also.
I never go in the church building without my weapon except for the worship services.

I'm getting in touch once again with our state folk and urge them to get this fixed.
It would be great if everyone on this site would contact them also whether you go to church or not.
How about trying to help us out!

Strike while the iron is hot. There is no reason that the choice should not be up to the individual church and its members. I'd carry reguardless.
I'll call my reps.


Art

 

[CEHollier]

I would not say this out loud.......

IIRC, it may or may not be illegal to carry in a place of worship......

With all of the church killings in recent years I doubt any pastor would turn in a respectable sheep dog member carrying in church. It is sad it has come to this.

 

[melisa]

That is horrible. How could you do something like that in church? That guy is going straight to hell!

 

[Nick]

With all of the church killings in recent years I doubt any pastor would turn in a respectable sheep dog member carrying in church. It is sad it has come to this.

at the very least with permission of the pastor/ church leaders it should be allowed... it is the house of God, iirc you must inform when carrying in someone else's home

 

[jimdana1942]

Someone needs to start a Church of the 2nd Amendment, where everyone in attendance is dressed in western garb carring their peacemakers. I would join.

 

[swagge1]

A guy who used to play on my basketball team was killed by a church shooter in 1999. The shooter also killed his estranged wife and 2 year old son in that church. I also think we should be allowed to carry in church.

http://www.weeklycitizen.com/archive/x1872702419/Miller-pleads-guilty-to-murders

An excerpt from the article...
"According to Miller’s confession, Miller had entered the church, shot the ceiling two times and told the crowd of over 80 worshipers not to move. He then walked straight to his wife sitting with his two-year-old son Shon Jr., and 19-year-old Vaniaro Jackson. Miller shot Jackson once in the head, killing him.

When his son called out, “Daddy,” Miller said, “Boy, don’t call me daddy, now,” and shot the child in the head. Miller then emptied his weapon on his wife, striking her seven times. “Who’s going to save you now?” Miller said to her, according to the confession.

All told, Miller fired 18 rounds in the church, and wounded four other people. He shot Vanario Jackson’s sister Kinsey in the leg as she tried to get away. Rebecca Delpit lay on the floor with her infant son, praying, and was shot in the shoulder. When she made eye contact with Miller, Alesah Harvey was shot in the leg. While he was seated in the pew behind Carla Miller, Donald Rideau was struck in the leg from a bullet fired during the onslaught on Carla Vessel."

 

[meisal]

Well I just talked to two LEO's in my church who carry concealed during our services.
We are taking the time to be more organized so we know who is sitting where and the best way to respond if this was to happen in our church.
Besides this all I can say is don't look in my podium.

 

[TowTruck]

mine blends well with the sunday best on

 

[Mouthpiece]

A county prosecutor said Monday that the suspect "carried enough ammunition to kill 30 people." As you read further in the article you see they said he "had 10 rounds of ammunition in a handgun and was carrying two more 10-round magazines in his pocket on Sunday".

This looney takes four shots of his thirty rounds to kill one pastor armed with only a Bible, yet he "carried enough ammunition to kill 30 people." You gotta love "responsible" reporting.