Iowa (USA): Two people were killed and the attacker was also killed in a shooting outside a church in the city of Ames in Iowa, US, on Thursday night. According to the Story County Sheriff’s Office, three people, including the attacker, were killed in the attack outside Cornerstone Church, a church on the outskirts of Ames.
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This cathedral is near Des Moines. The sheriff’s office did not provide details about the shooting, but told KCCI-TV that they received several calls at 6:51 pm. The sheriff’s office says people are no longer in danger.
Investigators said Friday that a man who shot two women before killing himself in an Iowa church parking lot was romantically involved with a woman and will face a court hearing next week on charges of harassing her. faced.
The man who killed 2 women in an Iowa church parking lot was in a relationship with one of them and faces harassment
Jonathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman into a pickup truck just before 7 p.m. The shooting began on Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and with a 9mm handgun, according to the Story County Sheriff’s Office.
Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said Montang and Flores were killed in a “targeted act of violence”, and Whitlatch shot himself.
America: Two people killed in shooting outside church in Iowa.
Man who killed 2 women in Iowa church parking lot was in love with one of them and faces harassment
Investigators said Friday that a man who shot two women before killing himself in an Iowa church parking lot was romantically involved with a woman and will face a court hearing next week on charges of harassing her. faced.
Jonathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, of Boone, pulled 22-year-old Eden Montang, 21-year-old Vivian Flores and another woman into a pickup truck just before 7 p.m. The shooting began on Thursday outside Cornerstone Church on the outskirts of Ames and with a 9mm handgun, according to the Story County Sheriff’s Office.
Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said Montang and Flores were killed in a “targeted act of violence”, and Whitlatch shot himself.
According to Fitzgerald, a third unnamed woman who was with him at the time of the shooting was able to find a security situation and was not injured.
The sheriff said the women were friends and students at Iowa State University, walking together to the church for a weekly service that is popular among ISU and high school students. About 80 other students were inside the megachurch at the time of the shooting, Fitzgerald said, although the sheriff’s office said there was no indication Whitlatch had plans or tried to enter the church. The church is located near Interstate 35 about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Des Moines.
“Our hearts are broken for all those involved and we are praying for all those affected, especially the families of the victims,” the church said in a statement.
Casey Pierce, a student who went to Cornerstone for the program, commented to KCCI that, “It’s going to take place at Cornerstone Church in Ames, Iowa. If you had told me a while ago, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. It’s unbelievable, honestly.”
The church also held a prayer meeting for the victims on Friday morning. Whitlatch and Montang had recently broken up, Fitzgerald said, and Whitlatch was arrested on May 31 for harassing and impersonating a police officer.
According to Story County Captain Nicholas Lenny, details of the charges against Whitlatch were not immediately available. Whitlatch was released on bond the same day, Lenny said and was scheduled to appear in court on June 10. A search of Whitlatch’s truck after the shooting revealed 9mm ammunition and a receipt from a West Des Moines store that showed Fitzgerald said he had bought the ammunition an hour before the shooting.
While investigators believe his intention was to kill Montang, Fitzgerald said, “he was there for a specific purpose, which he served,” the sheriff said. A search warrant executed at Whitlatch’s home also turned out to be an AR-15 rifle, which was not used in the shooting.
A church member identified by the KCCI only as Scott said he was not an eyewitness but had prayed with a student who was at the scene.
The student told Scott that he did CPR on one of the shooting victims.
“It’s hard to understand,” Scott said.
“[It’s] very difficult to understand what he saw about the actual shooting there, and tried to revive a girl. From what he said, the gunman got out and saw him get out of the car and shoot …and saw this happen and shot another girl as she was walking away and then shot herself. …It’s hard to understand,” Scott said.
Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also issued a statement saying, “Tonight’s senseless violence took the lives of two innocent victims at their place of worship. Kevin and I grieve for their families who have suffered an immeasurable loss. And while the investigation continues.” And as we learn more, we ask that Iovans pray for the victims and their families, members of Cornerstone Church, and the entire Ames community.”