A second shooting has occurred in Colorado today, and additional victims have been reported.
Complete details are not being released, but this second shooting occurred at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. New Life Church, along with Focus on the Family, helped establish Colorado Springs' reputation as a lynchpin of Christian fundamentalism. Its congregation was estimated in 2006 at 14,000 members.
New Life Church was founded in 1984 by Ted Haggard, who was implicated in a drugs-and-sex scandal in November 2006 and resigned his position shortly afterwards.
The first church-related shooting, at a missionary training center for a church in Arvada, Colorado, killed two victims outright, left one in critical condition and the condition of the fourth victim is not yet known. The gunman in this incident, a single white man in his twenties, has not yet been apprehended.
Arvada, CO police K-9 units tracked the first gunman through a residential neighborhood, but lost his track about one-half mile away from the crime scene. The Arvada police asked members of the community to search their properties for firearms or clothing that may have been discarded by the perpetrator.
First church shooting: Arvada, CO - local news accounts
Second shooting - Denver (KUSA) NBC affiliate's account
It is not fully known if the two church shootings - both of which occurred within 12 hours of each other - are related.
Local media in Colorado are reporting fatalities at the second church shooting today. They are also reporting that the suspect descriptions do match witness accounts at both churches.
As details emerge, I'll update this diary. Wanted to let you all know about this megachurch shooting pattern...
UPDATE #1: Eyewitness accounts of the gunman - a single white male in his 20s wearing black/dark clothing - are very similar in both the Arvada and the Colorado Springs shootings.
In their "reverse 911" calls to Arvada-area residents, police asked to be notified immediately of any "unusual activity" and/or clothing, weapons, etc. found discarded in the neighborhood.
The missionaries-in-training at the Arvada church dormitory were sequestered and questioned for several hours after the first shooting was reported. Local media reported that the police were particularly interested in finding the shooter's motive and (any) possible accomplices to the crime.
UPDATE #2: Local news is now reporting that the gunman is "down... after exchanging fire with El Paso County law enforcement outside the New Life Church" in Colorado Springs.
A second gunman, possibly an accomplice, is being sought in the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the New Life Church. Colorado Springs police are also seeking a car associated with the gunman/gunmen that may contain large quantites of explosives.
UPDATE #3: Approximately 100 members of the New Life Church are being held inside the megachurch. Paula Woodward of Denver's KUSA-TV is reporting that they "are being held while the law enforcement officers sort them out."
An explosive device has been found in the parking lot of the New LIfe Church. A search is continuing for a car that reported contains an accomplice and explosives related to the second crime scene.
The gunman was reportedly protected by body armor and headgear.
Lt. Fletcher Howard, Colorado Springs Police, is currently giving a news conference and has said that he "does not want to see any copy cat shooters" and so will be holding some information in reserve.
UPDATE#4: All Denver-area and Colorado Springs-area churches are on 'lockdown' emergency status, following reports that a second gunman may be involved in the shootings. Searches are being made in Colorado Springs neighborhoods for the additional gunmen, and for a vehicle that reportedly contains explosives. Residents are being asked to remain indoors, lock their doors and windows, and report suspicious activity to the police.
UPDATE #5: News reports are now being broadcast which indicate that the "situation" at the Colorado Springs shooting site is now "under control" - and that the reports of a second shooter and/or a car with explosives may have been incorrect.
Reports of explosives in the parking lot of New Life Church may actually have been personal belongings of victims/targets of the gunman, and may have been dropped while they were fleeing the scene under fire.
Church members from New Life who had been held in the main sanctuary are being removed by local law enforcement for witness statements and debriefing.
UPDATE #6: Colorado Springs PD Chief Richard Myers is holding a news conference. He has stated the following:
#1 - One church member was fatally shot, and four others were wounded. Two of the wounded have "life-threatening injuries".
#2 - A church security guard killed the gunman at the east entrance of the church during his shooting rampage; CSPD officers were on-scene within 2 minutes of the beginning of the incident. Regarding the security guard, Myers said, "he saved lives."
#3 - A suspect has been 'detained' in Colorado Springs re: the New Life Church incident.
#4 - No officially-announced connection between the Arvada and the Colorado Springs killings. The gunman in both incidents were both described as 20-year-old white men wearing black sweatshirts, trenchcoats, and with similar weapons.
New Life Church Pastor Boyd stated in the same news conference that it was "a tragic, horrible day" for his church. Asked for prayers for the victims of the crime, and said that "his heart was broken" by this violence. Seven thousand church members were on-campus during the incident. Eyewitnesses are being cared for and debriefed at nearby Pikes Peak Community College.
OK, I'm calling it a night; have a good evening, it's been very interesting to hear your thoughtful discussion below.....
Editorial Note: I firmly believe that the posthumous media attention these mass murderers receive plays a major role in their motivation, and may indeed precipitate their crimes.
Therefore, when the local media finally do release information about the gunman (or gunmen) who committed this crime, I won't be putting it up here.
Also, please keep in mind that the families and/or friends of the victims may, someday, read the comments posted in this diary. I am seeing a few interviews here on TV with relatives of the first victims - they were planning family Christmas celebrations when their children were returning home on vacation next week.
Instead, they are now forced to plan their children's funerals.
The horror and grief that they are experiencing deserve our quiet compassion and respect.