A 71-year-old man is responsible for a shooting that killed three people at a church in Alabama, police announced Friday.
Police did not release the suspected shooter’s name. Capt. Shane Ware, a spokesman for the Vestavia Hills Police Department, said at a press briefing that the suspect is in the custody of the department and will remain there while the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office issues warrants for capital murder.
Ware said St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was hosting a potluck dinner on Thursday that included the suspected shooter, who he said was an “occasional attendee” of the church. Ware said the suspect took out a handgun at some point during the dinner and began shooting.
He said an 84-year-old man, Walter Rainey, died at the scene, and a 75-year-old woman, Sarah Yeager, died after being taken to a local hospital. An 84-year-old woman who was also shot had been at the hospital by the time Ware gave the briefing on Friday morning but died a few hours later. Her family requested her name not be released for privacy.
Police responded to a call reporting an active shooter at 6:22 p.m. on Thursday. Ware said an attendee at the event subdued the suspect, holding him down until law enforcement arrived. He added that the person who subdued the suspect was “extremely critical” in saving lives and is a hero.
He added that he does not know how many people were present in the church during the shooting.
Ware said the suspect acted alone, and officials are still investigating the attack, including the alleged shooter’s motive. He said he believes the suspect’s identity will be released once the district attorney’s office signs the warrants.
Ware said any past interactions the suspect might have had with law enforcement are still being investigated, and he noted that additional updates will be provided on the police department’s Facebook page and in press releases.
Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry said at the briefing that the city’s prayers go out to the victims and families of those affected by the “senseless” act of violence. He said the city’s police handled the incident in an “exemplary” manner and that he is grateful for the cooperation of all agencies involved.
The law enforcement response involved multiple police and fire departments, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The shooting occurred about a month after a man killed one person and injured five in a shooting at a church in Southern California.
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