Shot, Killed in Sanctuary

[Deacon]

Man Shot, Killed During Fight in Sunday Service at Montgomery County Church
by Morgan Zalot and David Chang

The shooting happened in the sanctuary Keystone Fellowship Church, Montgomeryville, PA, about 25 miles north of Philadelphia, while hundreds of people, including children, were present.

Police say 27-year-old Robert Braxton, a member of the church, was involved in an altercation with another church member. During the altercation, at least one shot from a semiautomatic handgun was fired.
Police arrived at the church at 11:23 a.m. and found Braxton, of Montgomeryville, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to Abington-Lansdale Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:11 p.m. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Police say the other church member involved in the shooting was also injured during the altercation. He was taken to the hospital and later released. Investigators say the man is cooperating with police and no charges have been filed against him.
In an earlier post on the church's Facebook page, Keystone Fellowship announced a special guest pastor was scheduled to speak during its 11 a.m. service on Sunday about "serving in a country that is extremely hostile to the Christian faith."

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Keep us informed Deacon....and thanks for the report!

 

[Baptist Believer]

Strangely enough, I know the person who accompanied the pastor that was going to speak. They traveled together and the pastor works with my friend's ministry.

My friend posted on Facebook yesterday morning that shots had been fired but they were safe.

If the visiting pastor was the target, they didn't get him.

 

[Deacon]

Pa. church shooting: member charged with manslaughter [Baptist Press Link]

NORTH WALES, Pa. (BP) -- A member of a Philadelphia Southern Baptist church has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment in the shooting death of a fellow church member during a worship service April 24.

According to reports by the Associated Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer, Braxton allegedly became disruptive when a fellow worship attendee told him he was in an occupied seat. After church leaders tried unsuccessfully to calm Braxton, Storms showed Braxton his permit to carry a firearm and asked him to leave.

Braxton then punched Storms in the face, and Storms shot him twice with a semi-automatic handgun, the Inquirer reported. Steele said Storms, who had no official position in the church, told police he was "trying to stop him because I was afraid he was going to hurt me and other people."

Steele told reporters, "It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me to bring a gun to church."

 

[Rob_BW]

So Steele is the District Attorney.

 

[Baptist Believer]

According to reports by the Associated Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer, Braxton allegedly became disruptive when a fellow worship attendee told him he was in an occupied seat.

"Occupied seat"? If the man was sitting in it, obviously it was occupied.

I guess what they mean is that the seat was "saved" or intended for someone else. While that goes on way too often in churches (it has happened in our church), that is an insane reason to have an incident.

After church leaders tried unsuccessfully to calm Braxton, Storms showed Braxton his permit to carry a firearm and asked him to leave.

A permit to carry a firearm is NOT a symbol of authority. It is merely to identify yourself to authorities who may need to know why you are carrying a firearm. IF this report is accurate, Mr. Storms is an idiot. The fact that the church is private property is reason enough to eject someone if they are causing an issue. There's no need to introduce the issue of a firearm.

Braxton then punched Storms in the face, and Storms shot him twice with a semi-automatic handgun, the Inquirer reported.

Idiot.

Simple assault is no reason to pull a firearm unless you have reason to fear for your life. He was in a church building with presumably a large number of people around to assist.

Steele said Storms, who had no official position in the church...

A trespass warning needs to come from a legal owner of the property or an officer of the institution - like a staff member. Otherwise it is just someone throwing out an opinion.

...told police he was "trying to stop him because I was afraid he was going to hurt me and other people."

There's not indication that Mr. Braxton had a weapon and it sounds like there was plenty of opportunity to deescalate the situation.

Steele told reporters, "It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me to bring a gun to church."

It makes sense if you aren't an idiot. IF this report is accurate, Mr. Storms is an idiot.

 

[Jerome]

http://www.christiantoday.com/artic...orgives.killer.but.wants.him.to.pay/85052.htm

Storms has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. Announcing the charges, district attorney Kevin Steele said the incident began when Braxton objected to being asked to move from his seat.

"Braxton was creating a disturbance during the 11am church service after a fellow church member sitting behind him touched his shoulder, apparently telling him that he'd taken an already occupied seat," Steele said.

Witnesses say church ushers and an associate pastor calmed the situation and Braxton remained in his seat. However, Steele said: "Witnesses then saw the victim calming down and saw the shooter come over. When he came over he had a gun out."