![]() Man accused of fatally shooting 7 during July 4 parade ditches attorneys and elects to defend himselfĪ man hiding from authorities at a Texas church shot a pastor who confronted him Sunday morning, killing the preacher and injuring another person, officials said. UNLV gunman made sexual comment, unwanted trip offer to students while tenured professor at ECU: ‘I felt preyed upon’ Student hospitalized after horrifying caught-on-video beatdown near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Maybe something we all might want to think about as we keep all involved in this terrible thing in our prayers.13-year-old boy charged with planning a mass shooting at an Ohio synagogue I just wonder what might have happened if the pastor had approached this troubled young man as the Prince of Peace, the Christ of turn the other cheek - in peace, with grace, love, and compassionate confrontation. Carrying a gun to church while worshiping the Prince of Peace was never considered a possibility! Today, our society seems to be enamored with guns – concealed carry, open carry, shooting ranges, and long guns slung over shoulders while walking down the street. I can remember a time in the not-too-distant past when carrying a gun was an oddity, an exception to the accepted norm. Granted, it was not a good situation, the young man had committed a crime for which there would be consequences, but the presence of a gun compounded the danger and contributed to a tragedy for all involved. If there had been no gun at the scene, there is a very good probability that the pastor would still be alive, the third man would not have been shot, and a young man would not be facing a capital murder charge. Yes, a terrible thing happened!Īs I considered the incident more, my thoughts began to dwell on the gun. I felt sorrow for the intruder, undoubtedly a troubled young man. I was saddened by the pastor’s death and the loss for his family, the church family, and the community. Many of my students had lived in Starrville. I began my teaching career 50 years ago in Winona just up the road from Starrville. When I first heard about the shooting, I was shocked that something of this nature could happen so close to home and in the sleepy little community of Starrville. He was caught later in the day by Harrison County deputies and returned to Smith County where he was treated for a minor injury and booked into the county jail on numerous charges including capital murder. ![]() The intruder fled the scene in a truck belonging to one of the victims. She was not hit, but the third man was shot. McWilliams and a third man who was approaching the church after hearing the gunshots. The intruder lunged at McWilliams, and a struggle ensued in which the intruder seized the gun and shot McWilliams. According to authorities, the young man had been the focus of an unsuccessful police pursuit and man hunt the previous night.Īccording to the arrest affidavit, upon finding the intruder in the bathroom, McWilliams, who was armed, started telling him to leave and pulled out his handgun. Upon entering the church and preparing for the morning services, McWilliams, his wife and another church member opened the bathroom door and found a young man hiding and holding the church bank bag. Starrville is a small, rural community approximately 15 miles northeast of Tyler in Smith County, TX. Pastor Mark McWilliams (no relation to me) was shot and killed in his home church, Starrville Methodist Church, last Sunday morning. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting incident at Starrville Methodist Church.
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