USA: Two Killed in Alabama church shooting, the suspected shooter in custody
New Delhi: The Alabama Police on Thursday late evening said, “Two people were killed Thursday in a shooting at a small group church meeting in a suburb of Birmingham.”
Capt. Shane Ware with the Vestavia Hills Police Department said, “A suspect, who was not identified, is in custody. The shooting was reported at St. Stephens Episcopal Church at about 6:22 pm,”
The person injured in the shooting was being treated at a local hospital, Ware confirmed. The identities of the victims or the condition of the injured person were not immediately available.
The FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service are aiding in the investigation, Ware said.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement she was offering prayers to the victims and the community.
“I am glad to hear the shooter is in custody,” she said. “This should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city, or anywhere. We continue to closely monitor the situation.”
Vestavia Hills, an affluent suburb of about 40,000 residents, is about 7 miles south of Birmingham, Alabama.
The Alabama shooting is the latest attack carried out at a place of worship. In May, one person was killed and five others were injured in a Southern California church shooting that authorities described as a “politically motivated hate incident” against the Taiwanese community.
(Vinayak)
