Member of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church found themselves diving under the pews or running for cover to prevent from being shot when a gunman opened fire during a youth performance Sunday which started at 10:00 am. A performance called “Annie Jr.†was being done by children in the summer musical theater workshop.
Two people were killed, including one that witness say was a hero for jumping in front of the gunman to keep others from being shot. Witnesses say that Greg McKendry, 60 was an usher of the church and a longtime church member. They say he stood in front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of them.
Also killed was Linda Kraeger, 61. She was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where she died a few hours later.
Five people are listed in critical or serious condition. Two others that were hurt were treated and released.
The church promotes progressive social work such as desegregation and fighting for the rights of women and gays. No one seems to know what set the gunman off but he apparently started shouting hateful words before he opened fire.
Member of the congregation tackled the gunman and held him until police arrived. Jim Addison, 58 has been arrested and charged with first degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail according to city spokesman Randy Kenner.
Jan Barrett
1 user commented in " Gunman Kills 2, Wounds 7 During Youth Performance "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI’ve been to many Unitarian Universalist churches in the last decade. I’ve never found them compelling enough to attend regularly but I bear them no animosity; live and let live. One thing I did notice in the few times I attended after 911 (and in reading their own pastors’ sermons posted on websites–you can do the research and find them), was a thread that “the United States by its policies brought the violence of 911 upon itself.”
I hope this church and all other Unitarian Universalist churches analyzing this horrible tragedy in the days and weeks ahead will use the same philosophical underpinnings on themselves to inquire why they would engender and bring into their own house such vicious hatred and violence. From the consistency of their own preaching for the last 7 years, clearly they have themselves to blame.
I would disagree. But then, I also disagreed with their misguided analysis when it was applied to 911.
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