Two people were killed and a third was injured in a shooting at a church in a Birmingham, Alabama suburb on Thursday night, police said. An unidentified suspect is in custody.
The Vestavia Hills police department said it received a call from an active shooter at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at approximately 6:22 p.m. local time.
On Thursday night, Vestavia Hills police captain Shane Ware told reporters that three people were shot. Two died and a third was being treated at a hospital. There was no initial word on this person’s condition.
According to Ware, the suspect entered the church during a group meeting and opened fire. The church had posted on its website that it was holding a dinner party between 5pm and 7pm.
Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at St. Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia Hills, Ala. Butch Dill / AP
Ware did not provide a possible motive or further details about the circumstances of the shooting, although he said police believe there is no further threat to the community. It was not known how the suspect was arrested.
The FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service were among several federal and local agencies involved in the investigation.
The Rev. Kelley Hudlow of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama told reporters: “This is happening elsewhere … Just don’t think it’s going to happen here in the Birmingham area. So it’s shocking. But the only thing What we do know is that St. Stephen’s Church as a church is a community that is based on love, prayer, and grace, and that they will come together. “
“We are connected to a network of churches around the world,” he added, “and therefore we receive messages from people across the United States and around the world praying for this community tonight.”
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a statement calling the shooting “shocking and tragic,” adding: anywhere”.
The FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Office of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives were among several federal and local agencies involved in the investigation.
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