Fifty Church Shootings & Killings: 1999 - 2015

June 17, 2015 - Charleston, South Carolina - On the evening of June 17, 2015, a mass shooting took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The church is one of the United States' oldest black churches. The senior pastor, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, a state senator, was among the nine people killed. In the immediate aftermath, police sought a white male, later identified as Dylann Storm Roof. He was captured the morning after the attack in Shelby, North Carolina, at a traffic stop on Route 74.

May 24, 2015 - Hartford, Connecticut - The Rev. Dr. Augustus Sealy, 54, who leads the First Church of the Nazarene in Hartford, was shot outside the church. Sealy was placing flags in front of First Church of Nazarene there in honor of Memorial day when he was shot three times. He was shot twice in the right leg, and once in the left shoulder. The date was his fifth anniversary as the pastor.

December 4, 2014 - Bradenton, Florida – Manatee County Sheriff reported that Pastor Tripp Battle of Bayshore Baptist Church and Bayshore Baptist’s Nursery/Children’s director Amber Avalos were killed by the husband of suspected shooter Andy Avalos.

June 13, 2014 - Phoenix, Arizona - Two Priest were shot at Mother of Mercy church in Phoenix. Pastor Walker died at the scene and Pastor Joseph Terra was injured.

September 27, 2013 – Lake Charles, Louisiana – Woodrow Karey, 53, of Lake Charles, is accused of walking into a Calcasieu church, shooting and killing Pastor Ronald J. Harris Sr., as he was preaching during a revival.

September 18, 2013 - South Bend, Indiana - Police officials reported that a gunman wearing a mask entered a South Bend church Wednesday Evening and shot two bullets at a church member working inside. Sunday Kingdom Christian Center in South Bend. 

August 20, 2013 – Chicago, Illinois - Three men in a white vehicle fired gunshots at a group of people on the steps of the Uptown Baptist Church. Witnesses told police that one gunman fired as many as 20 shots from the vehicle. Three of the people who were shot were listed from stable to critical condition. One person shot was in critical condition and on life support, and was not expected to survive.

July 22, 2013 - Norwood, Missouri – Earnest J. Smith, 48, was arrested and faced five separate felony charges after Police say he fired two shots inside the Norwood First Baptist Church during Sunday morning services. Earnest Smith was held in the Wright County Jail on $250,000 cash only bond. Earnest Smith had made previous threats in the past to kill the pastor and members of the church. People attending the church at the time had tackled Smith and held him until deputies could arrive.

March 31, 2013 – Ashtabula, Ohio - On Easter Sunday during mass, Reshad Riddle entered Hiawatha Church of God in Christ screaming about God and Allah, with a gun in his hand according to witnesses. While parishioners were leaving the church, Reshad then shot his 52-year old father, Richard Riddle. Riddle was immediately arrested and taken into custody by police.  

January 12, 2013 – Flint, Michigan – Police authorities report that Steven E. Lawson, 28, was shot to death just outside the sanctuary of Full Gospel Christian Church on King Avenue near Home Avenue, while attending the funeral for Gerrell Tyler. No arrest have been made at the time of this posting.

December 25, 2012 – Oakland, California - Bullets were fired outside the East Oakland church during church services. Authorities reported that a 17-year-old male was struck outside the church, and inside, a 38-year-old woman was struck by a stray bullet while shielding her 7-year-old twins. Police reported that injuries were not life-threatening.

December 10, 2012 – Sunrise, Florida – A man shot what authorities believed to be his ex-girlfriend woman multiple times outside of Faith Center Church, before killing himself, according to authorities and witnesses. The shooting took place while hundreds of congregants were exiting the sanctuary just before 1 p.m.

December 3, 2012 – Coudersport, Pennyslvania – A man walked inside First United Presbyterian Church and shot his ex-wife as she sat in the church pew. According to officials, the man's ex-wife served as organist and choir director. Gregory Eldred, 52, of Coudersport, has been charged with first-degree murder, accused of twice shooting Darlene Sitler, 53.

November 5, 2012 – Los Angeles, California - One churchgoer was killed and another wounded while trying to stop a teenage girl from spray-painting graffiti on the side of the Principe de Paz (“Prince of Peace”) church located on the Beverly Boulevard in the Westlake district. Janeth Lopez, 22; Pedro Martinez, 24; and Ivy Navarrete, 31, were charged in the killing of Adres Ordonez, 25, who had been a churchgoer there since he was 10.

October 29, 2012 – Fort Worth, Texas - A paster was killed by an attacker who rammed a car into a church wall, chased the pastor and beat him with an electric guitar. Pastor Danny Kirk Sr., was the founding pastor of Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church.  

October 31, 2012 – Atlanta, Georgia - Floyd Palmer walked into the chapel of World Changers Church International, during prayer services in the evening and shot Gregory McDowell as he led a prayer service. Palmer was charged with murder in McDowell’s shooting death.

September 6, 2012 – Pensacola, Florida - Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies received a call around 6 p.m. of a shooting. The victim was Pastor Laddie Pierce of West Pensacola Baptist Church. Pierce was shot during bible study, before their normal Wednesday service. Officials at the scene did not believe the injuries are life threatening. The 72-year-old man who shot the pastor of West Pensacola Baptist Church on Wednesday night did so because he thought the minister was cheating with his wife, according to an arrest report.

August 5, 2012 - Oak Creek, Wisconsin - Six Sikh temple members were killed when 40-year-old Army veteran Wade Michael Page opened fire in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, at their temple. Page killed himself as cops moved in.

June 7, 2012 – DeKalb County, Georgia - Two people were killed and two others were wounded during a shooting outside of a funeral at Victory for the World Church in DeKalb County.

May 3, 2012 – Ellicott City, Maryland – Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn, co-rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and Brenda Brewington, were killed on May 3, 2012 by a homeless man, after he was apparently turned away from the church’s food bank. The homeless man identified by authorities as Douglas Jones, was found dead in the woods nearby the church by self inflected gun shot wounds.

April 22, 2012 – Aurora, Colorado – Police say the mother of Pastor De Lono Straham, Destiny Christian Center, was shot and killed in the afternoon at the end of the Sunday worship service. The Police say the shooting suspect and the pastor’s mother were shot and taken to a local hospital where they both died. The suspect was shot by an off-duty Denver Police officer who was a member of the church and is the pastor’s cousin. Police had no motive for the shooting.

February 14, 2012 – St. Petersburg, Florida – A pastor’s daughter was accidentally shot in the head in a Florida church and died. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says 20-year-old Hannah Kelley died in the hospital.

January 24, 2012 – Wentzville, Missouri – A man was unintentional shot after a fundraiser at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Police report that during the taking down of decorations while people were popping balloons there was a pop that was unrecognizable and members discovered that 23-year-old Aaron Dwan, was the victim of a gunshot wound. Aaron was rushed to the hospital where he was reported as in serious condition but stable condition. Police report that a “person of interest” went to the police where the police have determined that the shooting was not intentional. 

September 18, 2011 – Lakeland, Florida - Jeremiah Fogle, 57, was charged with murder and attempted murder after Sunday’s shootings at Greater Faith Christian Center Church. Pastor William Boss and associate pastor Carl Stewart were shot from behind, authorities said. Boss was shot in the head, and Stewart was shot three times in the back and ear.

December 24, 2010 – Chattanooga, Tennessee – Nine people were injured after a Christmas Eve party at Club Fathom, Mosaic’s outreach program for urban youth. The Christmas shooting stemmed from an argument inside the church during a party. Police have arrested two juveniles, one being a 15-year-old with nine counts of attempted first-degree murder, nine counts of aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy and reckless endangerment. 

November 16, 2010 – Oakland, California – At 11:45 am, a man attending a class at an East Oakland church was lured outside and shot to death on the sidewalk under a cross, church members said.

September 27, 2010 - Youngstown, Ohio - A church community haunted by the parking-lot shooting death of an 80-year-old member is mourning the killing of another elderly parishioner minutes after leaving church. Someone fired up to a dozen shots at Thomas Repchic, 75, as he drove from church with his 74-year-old wife, who was wounded but expected to recover. The couple had just left St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, where Jacqueline Repchic works in the office on Saturdays. 

August 30, 2010 - Visalia, California - The fatal shooting of a lay bishop occurred at a Mormon church by a man who was killed in an ensuing confrontation with officers. Clay Sannar, a 42-year-old father of six boys, was doing administrative paperwork on Sunday between services when a man came in and asked for a leader of the congregation, said church official Ralph Jordan. The man was directed to Sannar and fatally shot him, said Colleen Mestas, the police chief in Visalia, southeast of Fresno in California’s Central Valley. Then, someone called police and identified himself as the gunman. When police arrived at the church, they confronted the man and exchanged gunfire, said Mestas. The gunman was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at nearby hospital.

February 14, 2010 - Richmond, California - Three hooded men walk into Gethsemane Church of God in Christ and opened fire and then fled the scene, as the singing of the choir was replaced by frightened screams. The two victims, a 14-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, were hospitalized.

January 7, 2010 – Gaines Township, Michigan – Youth Pastor MarShon Peoples was shot in the head after he denied eight teens entry into the “Streams of Hope” party he was hosting because they smelled like alcohol and marijuana, according to Pastor Peoples. After teens refused to leave after repeatedly being asked by Pastor Peoples who then elected to contact the police. According to Pastor Peoples, that is when he was shot. Witnesses said that approximately 25 shots were fired but no else was hurt. Pastor People is recovering well after surgery to remove the bullet from his head. Pastor Peoples said that he harbors no hard feelings toward the young men who shot him.

March 8, 2009 - Maryville, Illinois - Suspect Terry Joe Sedlacek, 27, of Troy, walked into the First Baptist Church, and shot pastor Fred Winters dead, point blank. Several
church members were injured by a knife in the struggle to capture after the attack. The suspect also stabbed himself, but survived, when his gun jammed.

Feb. 18, 2009 - Garden Grove, California - A man walks into the internationally known Crystal Cathedral, hands a greeter a note, then kneels in front of a cross and shoots himself in the head, leaving him dead at the altar.

July 27, 2008 - Knoxville, Tennessee - A gunman opens fire in a church during a youth performance, killing two people and injuring seven. Motivated by a desire to kill liberals and Democrats, gunman Jim David Adkisson fired a shotgun at members of the congregation during a youth performance of a musical, Annie Jr.

December 9, 2007 - Arvada-Colorado Springs, Colorado - The 2007 Colorado YWAM and New Life shootings were a killing spree beginning in the early morning hours, when 24-year-old Matthew J. Murray opened fire at the Youth With A Mission training center in Arvada, Colorado, with a pistol, killing two and wounding two others before escaping. Later that afternoon, he attacked the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a number of firearms, killing two more people and injuring three before being shot and wounded by a member of the church's congregation; he then died by suicide.

May 20, 2007 - Moscow, Idaho - A standoff between police and a suspect in the shootings of three people in a Presbyterian Church ended with three dead, including one police officer.

Aug. 12, 2007 - Neosho, Missouri - First Congregational Church - 3 killed - Eiken Elam Saimon shot and killed the pastor and two deacons and wounded five others.

Oct. 2, 2006 - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Attack by a gunman who killed five girls and then himself. While not at a church, this occurred at an Amish school targeted as a religious site.

May 21, 2006 - Baton Rouge, Louisiana - The Ministry of Jesus Christ Church - 4 killed - The four at the church who were shot were members of Erica Bell's family; she was abducted and murdered elsewhere; Bell's mother, church pastor Claudia Brown, was seriously wounded - Anthony Bell, 25, was the shooter.

Feb. 26, 2006 - Detroit, Michigan - Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church - 2 killed + shooter - Kevin L. Collins, who reportedly went to the church looking for his girlfriend, later killed himself.

April 9, 2005 - College Park, Georgia - A 27-year-old airman died after being shot at a church, where he had once worked as a security guard.

March 12, 2005 - Brookfield, Wisconsin - Living Church of God - 7 killed + shooter - Terry Ratzmann opened fire on the congregation, killing seven and wounding four before taking his own life.

July 30, 2005 - College Park, Georgia - World Changers Church International - shooter killed - Air Force Staff Sgt. John Givens was shot five times by a police officer after charging the officer, following violent behavior.

Dec. 17, 2004, Garden Grove, Calif.: A veteran musician at the Crystal Cathedral shoots himself to death after a nine-hour standoff.

Oct. 5, 2003 - Atlanta, Georgia - Turner Monumental AME Church - 2 killed + shooter - Shelia Wilson walked into the church while preparations are being made for service and shot the pastor, her mother and then herself.

June 10, 2002 - Conception, Missouri - Benedictine monastery - 2 killed + shooter - Lloyd Robert Jeffress shot four monks in the monastery killing two and wounding two, before killing himself.

March 12, 2002 - Lynbrook, New York - Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church - 2 killed - Peter Troy, a former mental patient, opens fire during Mass, killing the priest and a parishioner. He later receives a life sentence.

May 18, 2001 - Hopkinsville, Kentucky - Greater Oak Missionary Baptist Church - 2 killed - Frederick Radford stood up in the middle of a revival service and began shooting at his estranged wife, Nicole Radford, killing her and a woman trying to help her.

Nov. 1, 2000, Kansas City: The wife of a minister fatally shoots her daughter and then herself.

Sept. 15, 1999 - Fort Worth, Texas - Wedgewood Baptist Church - 7 killed + shooter - Larry Gene Ashbrook shot dead seven people and injured a further seven at a concert by Christian rock group Forty Days in Fort Worth, Texas before killing himself.

April 15, 1999 - Salt Lake City, Utah - LDS Church Family History Library - 2 killed + shooter - Sergei Babarin, 70, with a history of mental illness, entered the library, killed two people and wounded four others before he was gunned down by police.