Pastor Shot During Service

Man Approached Pulpit and Fatally Shot Pastor; Stabbed Self and Parishioners
By KATIE ESCHERICH
March 8, 2009

A shooting during a morning church service outside St. Louis has left one person dead -- the church's pastor -- and several others wounded, officials said.

The Rev. Fred Winters was at the pulpit at the First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill., at 8:15 a.m. local time today when a man wearing dark clothing approached the pulpit and fired four shots, the first of which hit the pastor's Bible, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said at a news conference late today.

One of the shots from the gunman's .45 caliber pistol hit Winters in the chest, killing him, before his gun jammed, said Trooper Ralph Timmins of the Illinois State Police, which is handling the investigation.
The rest/image