Tennessee Church Shooting Leaves Several Injured, One Dead

***UPDATE*** 3:45pm

CBS reports that at least one of the victims in the Tennessee church shooting has died:

Sources have told CBS affiliate WVLT that one of the victims has died.

The shooting occurred at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church at approximately 10:15 a.m., when children were putting on a musical. There were about 200 people in the church at the time.

Witnesses said the gunman, described as white with blond hair, appearing to be in his mid-40s and wearing a T-shirt and jeans, entered and fired two or three times.

Churchgoers tackled the gunman and restrained him until police arrived. The suspect is in custody.

***UPDATE*** 2:53pm

The AP has more details from the scene:

The gunman entered the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and fired three times with a shotgun, said church member Steve Drevick. He was called to the church immediately after the shooting to help out and later gave a statement to reporters.

Several people had head wounds, he said. Drevick had spoken to several eyewitnesses and said no one at the church recognized the gunman, who was tackled after he fired the shots, Drevick said. The gunman had more ammunition on him, Drevick said.

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There were about 200 people in the church at the time of the shooting watching a youth performance being put on by 25 children.

Police had cordoned off the church with yellow and red tape, and were taking statements and collecting video cameras from church members who'd been taping the performance. Police at the church would not immediately release any information and did not return phone calls from The Associated Press.

***UPDATE*** 12:49pm

From AFP:

A man armed with a shotgun opened fire in a church in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sunday, wounding several people, at least two seriously, local television reported...

... It said six or seven people were wounded in the shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and at least two of the victims were in serious condition.

A group of children were singing for parishioners when the gunman opened fire, the local television station reported, but no children were among the injured.

WBIR said two members of the congregation tackled the gunman and held him until he was taken into custody by police.

CBS 13 reports that a gunman has opened fire in a Tennessee church in which children were performing a musical:

A man walked into a Knoxville, Tenn. church and open fired Sunday, injuring 7 people, CBS station WVLT-TV reported.

The incident took place at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church at 10:15 a.m. Church members said children from the congregation's summer theater workshop were performing a musical when the shooting occurred.

The alleged shooter is in custody.

Check back for updates...

Comments

[chronic5]

My prayers and thoughts are with the entire UU community, family and friends.

[kellygrrrl]

condolences to the victims and friends and family

[Amennyc]

Awwww....

[TomGerdy]

Where did that comment come from? Paris, get some help. Blind irrational random anger like yours is often at the root of incidents of violence like this. My prayers go out to the church and the community as well.

[TN]

The other day I overheard someone talking on the phone about how this male was out on parole and now he is attending church. Between the self rightousers and the newly, "trying to turn their lives arounders", church has proven to be a not so comfortable place to be.

[qdog112]

Perhaps he was just clinging to his gun and religion.

Prayers for the victims.

[Amennyc]

So good to see someone utilizing their 2nd amendment right!!!

[GTrollPatrol]

the 2nd amendment is for our defense

what that insane man did had nothing to do with rights but the violation of others rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

something the GOV does on a daily basis

[Clevelanded]

Terrorism?

[crebots]

As long as the Supreme Court-backed NRA gets its way, we will continue to witness this sort of random insanity. If the founding fathers were around, they would shake their heads in disbelief that we allowed right-wing conservatives to interpret "the right to bear arms" as a personal right. The Supreme Court and the NRA are both dead wrong on this issue, no pun intended.

[speakingtruth2power]

The children were not physically injured which is good but they surely were traumitized.

[Naithom]

Our prayers go out to the victims, and families of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church.