Mormon Bishop shot and killed in California

[pam]

Happened right in the Bishop's office. So so so sad.

Bishop shot and killed at Mormon church in Visalia | abc30.com

[Suzie]

Wow!

[JThimm88]

I wonder what his motive was? My guess is the bishop didn't do anything to provoke him (on purpose, at least).

[Suzie]

It seems to me that is one of those crazy shooters because he asked for "the president or the person in charge" then, engaged the Bishop in conversation and shot him. When the shooter leaves, he calls the police and when the police shows up he opened fire to the police! My take is that the person who did this is mental.

[NeuroTypical]

Wife and 6 children. One of them only a few months old. Bishop for 4 months.

Lovely. Just lovely. Oy.

[PrinceofLight2000]

It seems to me that is one of those crazy shooters because he asked for "the president or the person in charge" then, engaged the Bishop in conversation and shot him. When the shooter leaves, he calls the police and when the police shows up he opened fire to the police! My take is that the person who did this is mental.

I tend to agree. I doubt he'd have used that terminology if he was familiar with the Church.

[Moksha]

Could those who are following this story post links on further updates?

What a terrible tragedy. I will be praying for his family.

[Just_A_Guy]

ABC30 has another video up on their website at Pam's original link, with a two-minute segment at the end by a reporter who is either LDS herself or has obviously done her homework on LDS lingo.

Also, I'm seeing from scattered reports that the gunman has died.

[Wingnut]

Here is a local paper with pretty timely updates: visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register | Visalia news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Visalia, California

[ChadTalbot]

Didn't the church have its own militia once upon a time?

[Wingnut]

Are you thinking of the Nauvoo Legion? Technically that was a city-governed group, I believe.

[ChadTalbot]

Ahh.

[pam]

ksl.com - LDS bishop shot and killed at California meetinghouse

[pam]

Deseret News is supposedly following this story and it will probably appear in tomorrows paper from what I understand.

[pam]

Statement from the Church:

The LDS Church Statement | Facebook

[Wingnut]

Pam, I don't see anything in the Newsroom. Is this an official statement? It just seems a little incomplete, and I'm surprised there's not more to it.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Wingnut

[carlimac]

I used to worry a little about this kind of thing when my husband was bishop. It didn't seem out of the realm of possibilities because he was the bishop over transient members that came through town. (There were lots!) If he gave the wrong answer to one of them, like "I'm sorry I can't give you any money right at the moment" my husband might be seeing the wrong end of a fist or a shotgun. There were some pretty interesting folks that wandered through town asking for handouts from the church. Some were legitimate members with legit needs. Others whose membership was pretty nebulous. Came in reeking of cigarette smoke or acting a bit loopy -"I think I was baptized about 15 years ago. Can you pay for my hotel ?" Or "My car is in the shop. I need money to get it out so I can keep traveling on my way to my new job waiting for me in ________."

I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen more often. Or that we don't hear of people opening fire in church meetings with all the anger towards the church these days. I know it's happened in congregations of other churches. Anyway, my heart goes out to the slain bishop's wife and kids. What a horrible tragedy!

[pam]

Pam, I don't see anything in the Newsroom. Is this an official statement? It just seems a little incomplete, and I'm surprised there's not more to it.

I've seen it in 3 different places now. I'm sure there will be more coming from the Church. I think this is their first initial statement.

[ADoyle90815]

Wow, my prayers are with his family, how sad.

[astral]

I wonder if this shooting has anything to do with the churches involvement with the Prop 8 issue in California.

Edited August 30, 2010 by astral

[ChadTalbot]

I wonder if this shooting has anything to do with the churches involvement with the Prop 8 issue in California.

I was wondering the same thing. I'm really curious as to why no information has been put out there about the motive behind this.

[gabelpa]

I don't think it has anything to do with prop 8, given as the shooter said nothing about it, and chose to open fire on police, after calling them. Remorse? Maybe, but more than likely suicide by cop or mentally disturbed.

[Gwen]

i think it's a little early to be jumping to assumptions as to what this guy was thinking or who he was. let's just follow the story, and pray for the family untill all the info comes out.

[Wingnut]

Church spokesman Scott Trotter issued a statement, saying, "At this tragic time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Sannar family and all who knew Bishop Sannar."

ksl.com - LDS bishop shot and killed at California meetinghouse

The way the statement was laid out on the Facebook page was confusing -- no quotes, and it just kind-of stopped.

[Wingnut]

I'm really curious as to why no information has been put out there about the motive behind this.

Perhaps because the police shot the guy when he opened fire on them, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. It sounds like they didn't really have much sit-down-and-talk time.

Maybe, but more than likely suicide by cop or mentally disturbed.

I'm going with suicide by cop.