In a statement, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen said they had found a letter in Jim Adkisson’s car in which he described his feelings. There were about 200 people in the church, which is known for its liberal stance, at the time of Sunday’s attack, news reports said.
Adkisson, 58, has been charged with first-degree murder, police said. The attack happened as children were putting on a play at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church when the gunman entered with a 12-gauge shotgun and opened fire on the congregation, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and American media reported.
People reportedly dived for cover under pews but several adults were hit, two of them fatally, before a group managed to overpower Adkisson, witnesses said. Police Chief Owen said dkisson had brought the gun into the church in a guitar case. The church’s congregation had been watching a performance by 25 children. Officers also found a four-page letter in the suspect’s car.
"HORRIBLE EVENT"
"It appears that what brought him to this horrible event was his lack of being able to obtain a job, his frustration over that, and his stated hatred for the liberal movement," Chief Owen told reporters. "It appears that the church had received some publicity in the recent past regarding its liberal stance on things and that is at least one of the issues we believe caused that church to be selected."
The Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church describes itself on its website as working for social change since the 1950s, including desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights. Police say it appears Adkisson was acting alone, the BBC reported. The two people who were killed were Greg McKendry, a 60-year-old usher at the church, and Linda Kreager, who died of her injuries at a nearby hospital a few hours after the shooting.
Church member Barbara Kemper said that Mr McKendry had "stood in front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of us". A special prayer vigile was planned for Monday, July 28, BosNewsLife monitored. There have been several attacks against churches and other Christian institutions in the United States, where it is relatively easy to obtain a gun. Last week, a gunman attempted to reach a Christian radio station, but he was overpowered and killed by police. (With reporting from the USA).
