I know some of the people involved. The victim’s wife and the priest saying the Mass The son-in-law had domestic violence problems with his own wife. From what I have been told by friends closer to the situation, the victim was hit in the lower part of the head, and from what I gather the bullet did not enter the brain. The victim was in surgery for a number of hours, and had been critical but stable initially. Though he isn’t out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination, he came through it and they are hopeful for a good prognosis. The victim’s wife, was a nurse of many years experience and by all accounts went into nurse mode and acted like a champ, as did the priest, and various people in the church who reacted quickly and well. Suspect was apprehended a few hours later by police. He’d taken someone’s vehicle at gunpoint and was likely en route to Idaho when he ran out of gas. Police apprehended him and took him into custody. I’m quite sure the wife of the perp in no way knew her husband was going to do what he did.
[BTW. the service DID later finish after victim taken to hospital. They also prayed for the victim, his family, and the perp. The priest was one of the ones who did chase the suspect out the door along with other men. Besides the victim’s wife, others in the congregation had some training (including the priest) and they kept the victim calm and conscious before emergency response arrived. Mass scheduled later that evening was cancelled, the church being a crime scene. HOWEVER Monday morning mass (today) will be held, and there will also be a reconsecration of the church on Thursday evening.]
May God help this man pull through. Amen.
BTW, the priest was also an ex-Air Force military Chaplain.
Praying for the victim and all of his loved ones.
Prayers that this man recovers fully.