Senior Pastor Dr. Fred Winters was killed this morning while preaching the 8:15a.m. service at Maryville First Baptist Church in Illinois. An assailant entered the church armed with a .45 caliber pistol and started firing. Read more, photos and video below.
Fred Winters and Family
The unknown assailant entered the church during the early service, walked down the aisle and began to fire his weapon at the pastor. Rev. Winters tried to shield himself from the bullets being sprayed at him with his bible, the only weapon he had. The pistol jammed on the man and he began to stab himself with a knife.
Two parishioners were wounded as they tried to subdue the man. The suspect is currently in serious condition at St. Louis University hospital where he will undergo surgery for his self inflicted wounds. Dr. Fred Winters was pronounced dead on arrival at Anderson hospital.
A worship minister at the church, Mark Jones, says that they have no idea what the suspects motive was, nobody knew him. He simply walked into the church, exchanged a few words with the pastor and then shot him in the chest. Fred Winters was pastor of First Baptist Church for over 20 years, and is a former president of the Illinois Baptist Association. From Skye News:
“Our great God is not surprised by this, or anything,” said Nate Adams, executive director of the association.
“That He allows evil and free will to have their way in tragedies like this is a mystery in many ways.
“But we know we can trust Him no matter what, and draw close to Him in any circumstances.”
Here at Rightpundits our thoughts and prayers are with Dr. Winter’s family and congregation at this difficult time.
More photos and a video of Maryville Illinois Shooting are below.
Dr. Fred Winters Photos
Maryville Illinois Church Shooting Video
March 8th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
We live in a society in which anybody without a record can buy a powerful gun and endless ammunition, usually without any vetting or safety training, who in a time of recession—depression is losing everything, their jobs, homes, cars, family, etc and society suddenly becomes more unstable. Sales of guns are up right now and you can expect a certain small percentage of “folks” to go plain bonkers with them. At some point the right to gun ownership falls into conflict with the right to be safe from them. Our political process has been paralyzed to deal with this problem. I personally don’t feel safe knowing that anybody out there can be walking around with a gun or that will somehow protect me from criminals. You know how people can be in lines.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
The thing is Brian, you can never read someones intentions or their thoughts. Therefore if you are an upstanding citizen and you pass the requirements in your state you should be allowed to own a firearm. I own several, I went to the sheriffs office had the background checks and purchased weapons. True people are crazy in this day and time, and for that reason I feel better knowing that I have the right to protect myself, my family and my property.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I was taught to shoot by 10 but a lot of emphasis was on safety and responsibility and careful focus on what you were doing. I am appalled at all these high powered weopons, pistols and assult rifles running around in the hands of the general public. It boggles my sensibilities that a 15 cent bullet can do so much damage with a little pull of a trigger. I reallly don’t buy the argument that private ownership of guns deters crime in general, though I am sure you could site a few colorful anecdotes. It was one of the charles manson girls who said that by the age of twelve or whatever, the average American child has seen 10,000 people shot thru tv and movie cowboys, cops and police, and military and war shows. Its just too easy. Do I think our government should confiscate guns, no, but go ask canada about our gun policies as tons of our weopons end up there across their borders driving up their domestic gun crime rates. I think in general its just too powerful a weopon for people to possess who aren’t serious about its dangers.
March 8th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Hi Brian yes this is a sad day in deed, but do not blame or cast dark storm clouds over law abiding citizens that follow the writings of the 2nd Amendment. This same issue that the US Supreme Court has upheld is an INDIVIDUAL RIGHT! I have a natural right to protect myself and my family that has been in existence long before any written law was ever put to parchment. In gun free zones such as in the States of Illinois and Wisconsin which force law abiding citizens to remain at the mercy of any criminal who wants to commit any act of violence. If you want to read about the truth of armed citizens look at
http://keepandbeararms.com/
where violent acts are stopped by law abiding citizens, which you sir want to disarm Americans. Your tone makes it appear that you would like to place all of us at the mercy of thugs and gang members like those of MS-13. I for one respectfully do not, nor will I ever agree with your view on disarming law abiding men and women of the United States of America. You stated, “In a time of recession—depression is losing everything, their jobs, homes, cars, family, etc and society suddenly becomes more unstable�. I agree that your statement is very true and all the more reason everyone must make a choice. Do you want to be able to protect you and your family? Or do you want to expose your family and yourself to additional dangers afforded by the lack of having a plan? You need to have training to carry out the plan you have in place to protect those you love and care for. You need to consider if you have inside of you what it will take to protect your loved ones up to and including the use of deadly force. If you can not nor will not do what it takes to learn what is needed along with the mind set to use what you have learned, then I have concerns that some day those that would do evil will touch your life. Worst yet that you will not prevail against the evil that would harm you and yours. My thoughts here Brian are not an attack on you in any way. I do express genuine well wishes for you and yours. Please remember a very old adage. Do not bring a knife to a gun fight. Most evil encounters are over in 3 seconds or less.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I guess God is also on the side of the NRA. Maybe preachers should start packing heat. They got the legal right in the US, or in Texas, anyway. So why not?
March 9th, 2009 at 1:23 am
Hmmm… Strange body language in the family photo.
March 9th, 2009 at 2:30 am
Strange body language in the family photo.
I thought there was an odd body language in the photo too – particularly the way the man is holding himself away from his wife and children. Who knows, it could they were taking a group of photos and he was just scratching his elbow at the time, but this one is the one the wife liked best of herself and the girls. But it was noticeable, I thought.
March 9th, 2009 at 6:14 am
I get so tired of these limp wristed whimps from the left who want to ban guns. This country can’t even keep dope from flooding across our borders how do you think they will keep guns from coming in. I would rather the cops protect me and my family but they can’t so don’t keep me from defending myself.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I happen to know the man that shot the pastor. He was not a bad person. He was a really nice guy, that was plauged with a terrible disease. I am sure that he did not know what he was doing. He has had lyme disease for a long time and it has affected him in a very negative way. I do not believe that people should be able to have the access to guns that they have. And I pray for the people that know the pastor, but I also pray for the family of Terry and for Terry himself. He had a terrible disease, and a terrible tragedy happened…
March 9th, 2009 at 8:41 am
By admitting the fact that police can not protect the citizens the commenting gunslinger (hondo) actually admits that the US society is bankrupt.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:46 am
What you mean is that law abiding citizens shouldn’t have access to guns. The nuts and criminals will always have access to all the guns they want. There are plenty of really nice guys who also have lyme disease who don’t kill preachers. Go ahead and pray all you want sweetie but while you are praying pass the ammunition.
March 9th, 2009 at 9:21 am
The gunman was not a bad person. I knew him and he was very kind, and often times he could not control the things he would shout out or do. He was not some vicious killer that wanted to destroy the lives of many people. I am sure that he did not know what he was doing. I admit, maybe in his state he should not have had access to a gun, but I am fully confident he had no intentions of really hurting someone. He has had lyme disease for over 18 years, and most people are treated and cured within the first year. It has badly affected his brain. He didn’t know what he was doing. Don’t call me sweetie.
March 9th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Don’t call me sweetie.
Sorry, darlin’.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Brian,
If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words. Forks caused Rosie O’donnell to get fat and matches cause arson.
My guns must be defective because they have never cause a crime.
We need to pray for this church, family and the family of the shooter. They need the prayers and we need the practice.
March 9th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Yeah, let’s all pray for the shooter. Then let’s send him back to his maker stamped null and void.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:51 am
Illinois has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. This has happened in other churches and in one case the shooter was stopped by a citizen licensed to carry which is not allowed in Illinois. You can ban guns from law abiding citizens but guns can be made in a garage and used by criminals or smuggled in just the same. They are simple machines not sentient beings. More cars kill people in this country than guns do. My guns have killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy’s car.
Like the post earlier says, the man was sick.
March 10th, 2009 at 8:53 am
To Michelle Undisclosed: To your comment, “He was not some vicious killer that wanted to destroy the lives of many people.”:
Apparently he was and obviously he did.
My prayers are with the family of the pastor and with the church.
March 17th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
The offender has severe mental issues. The fault does not lie in law abiding gun owners, one should question where/how the gun was obtained. Let those who are responsible for the acqusition of the gun be held responsible.