NATIONAL NEWS

Gunman kills 3 seniors over potluck dinner at Alabama church

Jun 17, 2022, 5:01 PM | Updated: Jun 25, 2022, 8:54 pm

CORRECTS NAME OF CHURCH Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at the Saint Ste...

CORRECTS NAME OF CHURCH Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at the Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) — The 70-year-old visitor had previously attended some services at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church before police say he showed up for a potluck dinner, pulled a handgun and fatally shot three of the elderly participants, one of whom died in his wife’s arms as she whispered words of love in his ear.

Police said church members were spared further violence Thursday evening when someone at the dinner subdued the gunman and held him until police arrived. The suspect, Robert Findlay Smith, was charged with capital murder Friday, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr said in a statement.

Robert Smith accused in shooting

This booking photograph released by the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Ala., shows Robert Findlay Smith, who was charged with capital murder on Friday, June 17, 2022, in a shooting that killed three people at an Alabama church. (Jefferson County Jail via AP)

The baffling violence in a wealthy suburb outside Birmingham left victims’ families in disbelief, stunned a community known for its family-centered lifestyle and deepened unease in a nation still reeling from recent slaughter wrought by gunmen who attacked a Texas school, a New York grocery store and another church in California.

Two of the Alabama shooting victims were 84; the third, 75. They had gathered with other church members for a “Boomers Potluck.” St. Stephen’s was Walter Bartlett Rainey’s favorite place, a church that “welcomes everyone with love,” according to his family. They said in a statement Friday that it was hard to believe he was killed attending a church dinner with his wife of six decades.

“We are all grateful that she was spared and that he died in her arms while she murmured words of comfort and love into his ears,” said the statement provided by 84-year-old Rainey’s daughter, Melinda Rainey Thompson.

Police said Sarah Yeager, 75, of Pelham died soon after being taken to a hospital Thursday. The third victim, an 84-year-old woman, died Friday. Police did not immediately release her name, citing a request by her family for privacy.

More people likely would have been killed or injured had the shooter not been stopped, Vestavia Hills police Capt. Shane Ware said.

“It was extremely critical in saving lives,” Ware told a news conference Friday. “The person that subdued the suspect, in my opinion, was a hero.”

Ware said Smith and the three victims were all white. He said police are still investigating what motivated the suspect, who occasionally attended services at the church. Authorities executed a search warrant Friday at Smith’s home, located less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the church. A mugshot distributed by police shows Smith with a blackened left eye and cuts to his nose and forehead.

Records from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives show Smith is a licensed gun dealer whose business address is the same as his home address. Court records show Smith filed a lawsuit against Samford University, a private university in metro Birmingham, in 2008 in which he alleged that campus security wrongly detained him and accused him of impersonating a police officer.

The church gathering Thursday was described as a “Boomers Potluck,” according to messages posted on the church’s Facebook page by the Rev. John Burruss, the pastor. He said he was in Greece on a pilgrimage with a group of members and trying to get back to Alabama.

Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry told reporters his “close-knit, resilient, loving community” had been rocked by “this senseless act of violence.” The bedroom community is home to many businesspeople, doctors and lawyers who work in nearby Birmingham. Vestavia Hills is known for top-flight schools and a suburban lifestyle. It has nearly 40,000 residents, most of whom are white.

The Rev. Rebecca Bridges, the church’s associate rector, led an online prayer service on the church’s Facebook page Friday morning. She prayed not only for the victims and church members who witnessed the shooting, but also “for the person who perpetrated the shooting.”

“We pray that you will work in that person’s heart,” Bridges said. “And we pray that you will help us to forgive.”

Bridges, who is currently in London, alluded to other recent mass shootings as she prayed that elected officials in Washington and Alabama “will see what has happened at St. Stephens and Uvalde and Buffalo and in so many other places and their hearts will be changed, minds will be opened.”

“And that our culture will change and that our laws will change in ways that will protect all of us,” she added.

There have been several high-profile shootings in May and June, starting with a racist attack on May 14 that killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The following week, a gunman massacred 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Thursday’s shooting happened just over a month after one person was killed and five injured when a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners at a church in Southern California. It comes nearly seven years to the day after an avowed white supremacist killed nine people during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Agents with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives joined investigators at the scene, which remained cordoned off Friday with yellow police tape as police vehicles with flashing lights blocked the route to the church.

On Saturday, thousands of people rallied in the U.S. and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to renew calls for stricter gun control measures. Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill earlier this month.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement late Thursday lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life. Although she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she wrote: “This should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere.”

___

This story has been edited to restore a dropped letter to the name of Walter Bartlett Rainey.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

President Trump on Monday imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the United St...

Alejandra Jaramillo, Chris Isidore and David Goldman, CNN

Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum

President Donald Trump on Monday imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States with no exceptions or exemptions.

8 hours ago

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean (33) scores a touchdown after intercepting a pass ...

Mark Anderson, AP Sports Writer

Record betting at BetMGM and Caesars for Sunday’s Super Bowl

The Eagles weren’t the only big winners Sunday.

11 hours ago

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One where Trump signed a proclamation d...

Zeke Miller and Sam Magdy, Associated Press

Trump says no right of return for Palestinians in Gaza under his plan for US ‘ownership’

President Donald Trump says Palestinians in Gaza would not have a right to return under his plan for U.S. “ownership” of the war-torn territory.

15 hours ago

In this photo illustration, pennies are seen on a table on February 10, 2025 in New York City. U.S....

Jill Colvin, Associated Press

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost

President Donald Trump says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.

15 hours ago

President Donald Trump is pictured before boarding Air Force One at the Naval Air Station Joint Res...

Jill Colvin, Associated Press

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost

President Donald Trump says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.

1 day ago

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean (33) scores a touchdown after intercepting a pass ...

Associated Press

Eagles deny the Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat with dominant defense in 40-22 rout

Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat.

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

luxury living room with a classic white sofa and sofa, interior design...

Lighting Design

Revisiting home lighting trends for 2025

Looking for inspiration to revamp your home lighting? This article outlines some of the emerging lighting trends for 2025.

holiday gift basket with blue tissue paper and gingerbread cookies...

Kneaders Bakery & Cafe

Holiday hacks for a stress-free season

Get more out of your time with family and loved ones over the holidays by following these tips for a stress-free season.

2 computer techs in a computer shop holding up a computer server with the "hang loose" sign...

PC Laptops

A comprehensive guide to choosing the right computer

With these tips, choosing the right computer that fits your needs and your budget will be easier than ever.

crowds of people in a German style Christmas market...

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Celebrate Christkindlmarket at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

The Christkindlmarket is an annual holiday celebration influenced by German traditions and generous giving.

Image of pretty woman walking in snowy mountains. Portrait of female wearing warm winter earmuff, r...

Lighting Design

Brighten your mood this winter with these lighting tricks

Read our lighting tips on how to brighten your mood in the winter if you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

A kitchen with a washer and dryer and a refrigerator...

Appliance Man

Appliance Man: a trusted name in Utah’s home appliance industry

Despite many recent closures of local appliance stores, Appliance Man remains Utah's trusted home appliance business and is here to stay.

Gunman kills 3 seniors over potluck dinner at Alabama church