Posted on 07/27/2008 8:43:01 AM PDT by 2nd amendment mama
11:29 am
Steve Drevik says the suspect isn't believed to have any connection to the church.
11:19 am
Steve Drevik, a member of the TVUU Church spoke to media outside the church building, where media are assembled.
He says the suspect is now in custody.
Drevik says the shooting happened during a regular service, as children of the church were performing music from Annie for parishioners.
A man with long blond hair, who appeared to be in his 40s, walked into the sanctuary and opened fiire with a shotgun, shooting indiscriminately.
At least six or seven people were hit by the gunfire. They have been transported to UT Medical Center. Two are believed to be in serious condition.
No children are believed to have been hit by the gunfire.
Some of the children were taken next door to Second Presbyterian Church for shelter.
Numerous KPD officers are on the scene.
11:00 am
Multiple people have suffered gunshot wounds in what witnesses describe as a mass shooting inside a church in West Knoxville Sunday morning.
The shootings happened at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church on Kingston Pike.
A witness who spoke to 10 News said police had arrived and one person was being detained at the scene.
A children's production of "Annie" was taking place as part of the normal Sunday service at the time of the shooting, the witness, who is a member of the church, said. The gunman walked into a packed sanctuary and opened fire.
The number of people shot and the extent of their injuries has not been confirmed, but the witness said he saw at least five people shot.
Church members heard a loud boom during the church service, which began around 10:15 a.m., the witness said. Several other loud booms followed, and the witness said the gunman seemed to be shooting randomly across a row of people. Two congregants tackled the gunman, he said.
Many people fled to the Second Presbyterian Church after the shooting, and that church was placed on lockdown, according to a 10 News crew at the scene. People have since been allowed to return to the Unitarian church building, where police are questioning witnesses.
Stay with WBIR for the very latest on this rapidly developing story.
Yes, an unfortunate story and probably not the time to opine on the effect that that theme song has on me!
Irk a room full of Tennesseans, by yourself, with nothing but a sidearm - Big mistake.
The Unitarians are the liberals and humanists in my community and no doubt the same in Knoxville.
They tried to stop the shooter which is the right thing to do, but I suspect not too many are advocates for the Second Amendment and using guns in self-defense.
A terrible thing to happen to anyone, anywhere.
Maybe it would be different for LE but American's aren't conditioned to violence. Even if armed the church goer would probably not realize what was happening until shots fired. It might even take a few more seconds to process that what they were witnessing was real.JAT
It was probably a mini-rally for The Obamassiah and they were singing "The sun will come out tomorrow ....". Otherwise, a musical about a poor orphan (Annie) who is befriended by a rich capitalist (Daddy Warbucks), doesn't really fit the UU agenda. Now maybe, if there were a lesbian relationship between Annie and Mommy Warbucks or Annie got pregnant and had to get raise money for an abortion, that would be truly a part of the UU world view.
This nation has long been in need of a good dose of “.44 Law.”
Prayers being said. How horrible...
Been watching this on local TV. I am not too far from Knoxville.
Will be watching the news for the press conference, and praying for the victims.
My father, during his pastoring life, had confrontations with gunmen four times - once was a robbery during the church service, the other times were personal, i.e., a husband or father did not approve of the association of a female family member with the church.
However, I do believe the current anti-religious bent of the press and certain institutions offers an “excuse” to those with loose screws.
It’s a vulnerable feeling sitting in church with your back to the door. Prayers to all involved.
All these shootings have a common theme........... the shooter calmly reloads, then begins shooting again.
Sounds like the good folks took things in their own hands here.
Don’t need a sarcasm tag but maybe you need a “tact” tag.....
When people ae killed or severely injured and the initial reports come through, now is not the time for smarta$$ remarks.....
“Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion with Jewish-Christian roots. It has no creed. It affirms the worth of human beings, advocates freedom of belief and the search for advancing truth, and tries to provide a warm, open, supportive community for people who believe that ethical living is the supreme witness of religion.”
In other words, a NEW AGE church.
What do you expect? God is NOT in the center of this church. Human beings are.
Not all events follow an ideological script. Maybe it turns out that the unitarians did a better job of tackling an invader than some recent church shootings of more mainline or evangelical churches. Sometimes facts are just facts. Sometimes people react as good people, whatever their other trappings. We’ll see.
And yet it is leftist orthodoxy that putting up a “no guns” sign will stop depraved madmen like this.
“....When people ae killed or severely injured and the initial reports come through, now is not the time for smarta$$ remarks.....”
Just trying to think like a liberal.
Good question:
Unitarian...children's production of "Annie" was taking place as part of the normal Sunday service...
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