Church Shooting: Pastor Fred Winters Dead At First Baptist Church In Maryville Illinois (Photos)

A pastor used the Bible he was reading from to shield himself from bullets being pumped at him from an unknown gunman who opened fire during Sunday morning services at the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill. Read more on the church shooting that left Pastor Fred Winters dead.

Senior Pastor Fred Winters was preaching the early service when a man entered the church, walked down the aisle and started shooting, a parishioner told FOX News.Some say the man spoke to Pastor Fred Winters before he began shooting.

The man shot the pastor as he held up his bible which appeared like confetti while being shot, eyewitnesses stated.

The .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol jammed and the suspect began stabbing himself with a knife, Ralph Timmins of the Illinois State Police told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Timmins said the gunman also slashed two parishioners when they tried to tackle him.

The suspect is in serious condition and is heading to the operating room, according to Saint Louis University Hospital.

Pastor Fred Winters was shot three times and was pronounced dead on arrival at Anderson Hospital, a spokeswoman told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Five other people were taken to local hospitals.

There were around 150 people in the church at the time of the shooting.

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Photos: PR

Source: news

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