The quiet of Sunday services was shattered by violence as a gunman shot dead three people and wounded at least ten others in the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Neosho.
The church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Tom Thorne, says the shooting took place during an afternoon service held by a Micronesian congregation. The call came into police at two o’clock in the afternoon. The shooter has not been identified. He is being held at the Newton County Jail. The man apparently was related to a member of the congregation, though police have declined to release many details about the shooter or the incident.
The shooter held between 25 and 50 people hostage before police apprehended him after about ten minutes of negotiations. Police say the shooter had three firearms on him.