Sacrament Meeting Shooting

[_Madison54]

This was posted over on the other forum. It's a copy of a Facebook post:

"This is not something you expect to happen to you when you go to church on Sunday.

As we sat in church today...... John decided to do a terrible thing.

Sacrament was past and the children had sang primary songs about the Pioneers coming across the plains.

John stood up and opened fire on his home teacher and ministering brother he called his friend.

Drugs and mental illness are a big part of his decision to take the life of his friend.

Our whole ward has been in lock down since about 12:50 today until about 4:30.

Many witnessed him doing this as it was right there in front of us.

When the shots rang out they were distinct loud and I counted, I think 6 or 7 shots.

It was so unexpected and so sudden, you had no time to react.
Fathers and mothers and children dropped to the floor then ran out of the chapel as we were directed to all huddled in one place away from the area.

John ran out with men running after him

In front of families, friends and children, John decided to do this terrible thing.

So as you might suspect this has been a terrible ordeal for the whole Ward, the city and especially the family that just had their father, husband and grandpa taken from them.

Please send all your prayers of comfort to those that have gone through this and especially this family.

Please pray for the children too that they may be able to get past this and have some peace to be able to sleep tonight."

[_I have a question]

*As an aside, I thought that was a big chapel building for a congregation of only 50 people.

[_Runtu]

As an aside, I thought that was a big chapel building for a congregation of only 50 people.

I think it's a stake center, which makes sense. My hometown church in California is pretty big, but changing demographics mean attendance is pretty sparse these days, even though my parents' ward is the only one that meets there.

[Guest]

Thanks, Lemmie. I'm in a group where a person, a relative of people present at the shooting, is posting.

Presumably were the shooter to have drug and mental health issues, these would be fairly well known in the ward?

I think this tragedy (if its the result of mental illness/drug issues) also now puts pressure on the Church to better train local leaders for dealing with members who may not be mentally stable. At what point is a local leader qualified to understand that a member of the ward represents a significant threat to other members? And what should they then do about it?

[_Lemmie]

Thanks, Lemmie. I'm in a group where a person, a relative of people present at the shooting, is posting.

Presumably were the shooter to have drug and mental health issues, these would be fairly well known in the ward?

it probably would in such a small ward but who knows. The Facebook post and the DesNews also thought the shooter killed his home teacher, which according to the relative of people at the shooting in Meadowchik's group is not true. It may all be speculation.

[_I have a question]

it probably would in such a small ward but who knows. The Facebook post and the Deseret News also thought the shooter killed his home teacher, which according to the relative of people at the shooting in Meadowchik's group is not true. It may all be speculation.

I’m sure speculation is rife.

[_Meadowchik]

it probably would in such a small ward but who knows. The Facebook post and the Deseret News also thought the shooter killed his home teacher, which according to the relative of people at the shooting in Meadowchik's group is not true. It may all be speculation.

Yup. I fully admit my source could be mistaken. We'll see if someone else clarifies the details journalistically.

[_Lemmie]

*As an aside, I thought that was a big chapel building for a congregation of only 50 people.

Today's DesNews version now says 120-140 people were in attendance at the ward, "according to estimates by witnesses." All other reports still say 50, including police and the AP report. Go figure.

[_Mormonicious]

*As an aside, I thought that was a big chapel building for a congregation of only 50 people.

Today's Deseret News version now says 120-140 people were in attendance at the ward, "according to estimates by witnesses." All other reports still say 50, including police and the AP report. Go figure.

Apparently the Police and other sources aren't counting the numerous attending angels and spirits that are always present at a Mormon meeting.

[_Lemmie]

Today's Deseret News version now says 120-140 people were in attendance at the ward, "according to estimates by witnesses." All other reports still say 50, including police and the AP report. Go figure.

Apparently the Police and other sources aren't counting the numerous attending angels and spirits that are always present at a Mormon meeting.

When i told this story to my Catholic husband, he said, "doesn't each person have three other ...whatevers (!) on that other planet? " I confirmed later that he was referring to Kolob, but Im still not sure what a Mormon "whatever" is to a never-mo, however.