Jun 19, 2013

Ann Compton

Utah man shot during mass at Catholic church

Parishioners at a Catholic church in Utah were sent diving under pews in terror Sunday when a tattooed lunatic shot a man in the back of the head during morning worship, cops said.

Charles Richard Jennings, 35, felled his father-in-law with a single shot to the back of the head during 11:30 a.m. mass at St. James church in Ogden and then fled in a stolen pickup truck, KSL-TV reported.

Jennings was captured later after a brief but frenzied state-wide manhunt.

His father-in-law, who was not identified, was in critical condition at McKay Dee Hospital, the station said.

Cops said Jennings specifically targeted his victim.

According to witnesses, the shooting occurred as parishioners lined up to receive Communion.

Rev. Erik Richtsteig told KSL, “Nowhere is immune from evil and it’s what people do when they’re confronted with it that really shows their character and I’m really proud of my people here at the church.”

Jennings has a rap sheet that includes busts for burglary, domestic violence, theft and trespassing, among other crimes.

ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE

Jun 19, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

Utah Catholic Mass Shooting: Dad Shot By Son-In-Law During Father’s Day …

The suspect was charged Tuesday with attempted murder, aggravated burglary and robbery and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. (Photo : REUTERS/Kham)

James Evans’ Father’s Day abruptly turned into a tragedy after the 66-year-old was shot in the head by his son-in-law while he was praying in a special holiday Mass service in Utah.

Like Us on Facebook

Police have arrested 35-year-old Charles Ricky Jennings in connection with the shooting. According to witnesses, Jennings, a parishioner at the church, walked into the Mass with his wife Cheryl. Moments later, police say he fired a single shot at the back of Cheryl’s father’s head, nearly killing him, reports the Associated Press.

Afterward, Jennings stole a truck from a nearby neighbor at gunpoint and led police on a highway chase, said officials. He was caught hours later on foot after the truck ran out of gas.

Jennings, a father to a 3-year-old boy, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder, aggravated burglary and robbery and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. His bail has been set at $105,000.

Police are still trying to determine why Jennings shot his father-in-law, said Ogden Police Lt. Danielle Croyle on Tuesday. They think he may have been drinking or on drugs, and detectives know the couple had a history of domestic disputes that may have triggered Sunday’s shooting, she said.

Evans was struck at the side of his head, the bullet going through near his ear and out his cheek and missing his brain, said Dr. Barbara Kerwin, the director of the intensive care unit at McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden.

“He turned his head just at the right time,” his wife said Monday, crying at a hospital news conference. “If didn’t turn his head, he would have been hit in the back of the head and he would have been dead.”

Doctors say Evans is awake and is communicating with hand gestures and writing, however he will need reconstructive surgery and rehab to learn to swallow and speak again, reports CBS News. Tuesday is Evans’ 66th birthday.

Jun 19, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

Utah man shot during Catholic Mass upgraded to fair condition, son-in-law …

‘);
}
document.write(‘

‘);
document.write(‘

‘);
jQuery(‘.navTab’ + ad_AdvertiserArray.data[adt].advertiserID).click(ad_AdvertiserArray.data[adt], function(eventObj){
window.location.href = “http://” + hostEnv + “www.startribune.com/weekly-ads/?dppAID=” + eventObj.data.advertiserID;
});
jQuery(‘.navTabWa’ + ad_AdvertiserArray.data[adt].advertiserID).click(ad_AdvertiserArray.data[adt], function(eventObj){
window.location.href = “http://” + hostEnv + “www.startribune.com/weekly-ads/?dppAID=” + eventObj.data.advertiserID;
});
}

‘);
}
dppNavTab.start();

0
comments
resize text
print
buy reprints

Tweet
share

email

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#senderName2″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorName2″).remove();
check=true;
}
if(!yourEmail.match(“[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])”))
{
jQuery(“#senderMail2″).addClass(“fc-field-error”);
if(jQuery(“#errorMail2″).length

Please enter your valid email address.

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#senderMail2″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorMail2″).remove();
check=true;
}
if(!recipientsEmail.match(“[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])”))
{
jQuery(“#recipientsEmail2″).addClass(“fc-field-error”);
if(jQuery(“#errorRMail2″).length

Please enter recipient valid email address.

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#recipientsEmail2″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorRMail2″).remove();
check=true;
}

if(check==true)
{
jQuery(“.shareLayer”).append(“”);
jQuery.post(“/mail/”, { “sender_name”: yourName, “sender_email”: yourEmail,”recipient_email”:recipientsEmail,”comment”:comment,”domain”:domain,”path”:path,”contentId”:contentId } ,function(data)
{
jQuery(“.shareLayer”).hide(“slow”);
alert(“your mail has been sent”);

});
}
}

OGDEN, Utah — A Utah man shot in the head during a Father’s Day Mass was upgraded to fair condition Tuesday — just a few hours after his son-in-law was charged with attempted homicide in the shooting.

On his 66th birthday, James Evans was moved out of the intensive care unit at McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, another step in what doctors expect to be a full recovery. The bullet police say was fired at point-blank range by his son-in-law, Charles “Ricky” Jennings Jr., remarkably missed his brain, entering near his ear and exiting out his cheek.

Evans’ wife, Tara, who was standing beside him, said if her husband hadn’t turned his head when he did, he would have been killed.

Doctors said Evans will need reconstructive surgery and rehab to learn to swallow and speak again. He has been awake, nodding yes and no, writing and using hand signals to communicate.

Jennings, 35, is in jail on $105,000 cash-only bail. He made a brief court Tuesday appearance by video. He was charged Tuesday in Weber County with attempted murder, two counts each of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery, and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

His next court hearing has been set for Thursday afternoon. Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Jennings’ attorney were not immediately successful. He has not yet entered a plea.

The shooting occurred during a quiet part of the Father’s Day Mass as about 300 people stood up in preparation for communion. Police say Jennings pulled a gun from his waistband and fired a single shot at the back of Evans’ head, nearly killing him.

“It was echoing in my head so loud,” said Rebecca Ory Hernandez of the gunshot that rang out only feet from where she was with her 5-year-old son. She grabbed the boy, threw him under the pew and got on top of him. She said she heard the pastor blurt out an expletive into his microphone. “I was waiting for another gunman,” she said.

The shooter ran from the church, the pastor and a half dozen other men close on his heels. Ory Hernandez and other parishioners went to James Evans. They used scarves and a shirt to help soak up the blood, and she cradled his head. His wife, Tara, who had been standing next to him, and others prayed.

“I’m OK, I’m OK,” Evans kept saying, as blood spilled from his mouth.

Meanwhile, Jennings stole a truck from a nearby neighbor at gunpoint and led police on a highway chase, police said. He was caught hours later on foot after the truck ran out of gas.

Police are still trying to determine why Jennings shot his father-in-law, said Ogden Police Lt. Danielle Croyle on Tuesday. They think he may have been drinking or on drugs, and detectives know the couple had a history of domestic disputes that may have triggered Sunday’s shooting, she said. But, she said Jennings has not revealed a motive.

The full scope of Evans’ relationship with his son-in-law is not yet clear, but court records show Jennings has a criminal record going back to 1996. Over the years, he’s pleaded no contest to felony charges of receiving a stolen vehicle, criminal trespassing and pleaded guilty to theft charges and a felony charge of attempting to tamper with a witness or juror.

Lt. Croyle said Jennings’ wife, Cheryl, stayed inside the church after her husband fled. There is no indication she knew what her husband was going to do, and authorities don’t expect to file any charges against her, Croyle said.

After paramedics rushed James Evans to the hospital, the Rev. Erik Richtsteig returned to the brick church that sits on the east side of Ogden at the foot of a steep rock mountain called Jumpoff Canyon.

As doctors operated on Evans, who had recently accompanied the priest on a trip to the Holy Land in Jerusalem, Richtsteig told his congregation who the shooter was, and asked them to pray for the couple and their 3-year-old son.

Then, for those who stayed, he finished the Mass, explaining his reasons matter-of-factly, Ory Hernandez said.

“Evil will not prevail,” Richtsteig said.

get related content delivered to your inbox

‘);
}

manage my email subscriptions

‘);
}

0
comments
resize text
print
buy reprints

Tweet
share

email

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#senderName3″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorName3″).remove();
check=true;
}
if(!yourEmail.match(“[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])”))
{
jQuery(“#senderMail3″).addClass(“fc-field-error”);
if(jQuery(“#errorMail3″).length

Please enter your valid email address.

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#senderMail3″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorMail3″).remove();
check=true;
}
if(!recipientsEmail.match(“[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+(?:.[a-zA-Z0-9!#$%'*+/=?^_`{|}~-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])”))
{
jQuery(“#recipientsEmail3″).addClass(“fc-field-error”);
if(jQuery(“#errorRMail3″).length

Please enter recipient valid email address.

“);
}
check=false;
}
else
{
jQuery(“#recipientsEmail3″).removeClass(“fc-field-error”);
jQuery(“#errorRMail3″).remove();
check=true;
}

if(check==true)
{
jQuery(“.shareLayer”).append(“”);
jQuery.post(“/mail/”, { “sender_name”: yourName, “sender_email”: yourEmail,”recipient_email”:recipientsEmail,”comment”:comment,”domain”:domain,”path”:path,”contentId”:contentId } ,function(data)
{
jQuery(“.shareLayer”).hide(“slow”);
alert(“your mail has been sent”);

});
}
}

Most read
Most Emailed
Most Watched

<![CDATA[

]]>

inside the StarTribune

425 Portland Av. S.

Minneapolis, MN 55488

(612) 673-4000

Company
- About the StarTribune
- Advertising
- Directory + Contacts
- Jobs at the StarTribune
- Newspaper in Education
- Tours
- Vita.mn: Entertainment
- Business Listings
Subscriber Services
Website
Buy Ads
Store
- Photographs
- Article Archives
- InfoArt
- Back copies
- Commercial Reprints
- Permissions
Connect with Us

StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks

Close

Jun 19, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

Gunman shoots man during Catholic Mass in Utah

OGDEN, Utah – A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of walking into a Catholic church and shooting his father-in-law in the back of the head during Mass.

Charles Richard Jennings Jr., 35, was captured Sunday afternoon in nearby Box Elder County after fleeing in a stolen pickup truck, investigators said.

Witnesses say they heard one gunshot during the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday at Saint James the Just Catholic Church in Ogden, and that parishioners immediately hit the floor.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. His name wasn’t immediately released.

Police said the victim was deliberately targeted by the gunman and it wasn’t a random act of violence.

“We don’t know the motive,” Ogden police Lt. Danielle Croyle told The Salt Lake Tribune. “It is a domestic violence-related incident.”

Parishioner Rebecca Ory Hernandez said the congregation was told by a priest that the suspect and his wife had been involved in domestic disputes.

Hernandez was sitting close to the victim when the shooting occurred, she said.

“The guy walked up to his father-in-law and shot him point blank in the head,” Hernandez told Ogden’s Standard-Examiner. “Then I ran over to the victim and pulled my scarf off and put it around his head.

“He was pretty calm. There was so much blood … People were in shock and some people were passing out. We have some military guys in our parish and they ran out after the guy,” she added.

Parishioner Leon Bedford said the victim was sitting in a back pew with his wife when their daughter and son-in-law walked in holding hands as the congregation started saying a prayer.

“Oh, it’s obvious it was well planned out,” Bedford told the Standard-Examiner. “They came into the church hand in hand, and he walked right up to (the victim) and pulled that trigger. We just hope and pray that he makes it.”

Jennings is accused of stealing the truck at gunpoint from a nearby resident after fleeing the church. He was booked on charges of attempted aggravated criminal homicide and aggravated robbery.

Further details about the shooting will not be released until a news conference Monday morning at McKay-Dee Hospital, officials said.

A family spokesperson and a police representative will be on hand to discuss the case and status of the victim, hospital spokesman Chris Dallin said.

Jun 18, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

No clear motive in Catholic Mass shooting; victim expected to survive

“Thank you to all the people who are praying for him,” she said.

Father Richtsteig said he only wanted to focus on Evans.

“There have been threats (between Jennings and Evans), but I really don’t want to go into that,” he said. “Really, what I think we need to focus on is how much good we saw yesterday, not one act of evil. A lot of bravery, a lot of kindness, a lot of charity.

“They were at Mass, they were worshiping God and this man came in and did an act of violence. They’re the ones we should be concerned about,” he said.

After the shooting, several parishioners put pressure on Evans’ wound and cleared his throat so his airway wasn’t obstructed. One of the congregation members was also a nurse and helped until paramedics arrived.

Father Richtsteig had just returned Friday from a trip to Jerusalem with Evans and his family. He described him as a person who constantly helped out around the church doing little tasks.

“Jim is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” he said. “No one deserves this. But I can’t think of anyone who deserves it less than James.”

Because of the shooting, Sunday night Mass was canceled. But Father Richtsteig said he wasn’t going to let evil triumph, so he held Mass at 8:30 a.m. Monday. About 50 people showed up.

Bishop Wester extends blessings

The Most Reverend Bishop John C. Wester said he extended his blessings to everyone.

“The family, of course, itself, and the people, the parishioners,” Bishop Wester said. “We pray for them and also we pray for the perpetrator, we pray for everybody, asking God’s healing.”

Many churches in Utah open their doors daily for not only members of the faith, but anyone who wishes to pray or to sit quietly. There is security for Mass with the ushers, Bishop Wester said. He has no plans to change that in the diocese.

Bishop Wester has stood with those who call for stricter laws on the sale and use of firearms. He said he believes most Utah gun owners are responsible, but he remains concerned.

“We need to really tackle the root causes and to get at mental illness and to get at the anger,” he said.

After discussion with Father Richtsteig, Bishop Wester said there will be a Liturgy of Reparation service Thursday at St. James the Just Church, blessing both the inside and the outside of the building.

“We’re going to pray for healing, all evil will be expunged from the church,” he said. “God doesn’t give back a gift. He has consecrated the church. It’s a holy place, it will always be a holy place. But there’s been an incident, so we need to redress that promise through prayer.”

The Weber County Attorney’s Office was expected to consider filing formal charges on Tuesday.

Contributing: Mike Anderson and Jed Boal

Jun 18, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

Utah man shot in Catholic Mass expected to survive

OGDEN, Utah (AP) — A Utah man is expected to survive after his son-in-law walked into Father’s Day Catholic Mass and shot him in the head in front of a congregation of 300 people, many of whom hit the floor, then helped try to stop the bleeding and chase after the suspect.

James Evans, 65, was in critical condition Monday, but has made steady progress, said Dr. Barbara Kerwin, the director of the intensive care unit at McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden. The bullet went through his ear and out his cheek, missing his brain.

Police say Charles Richard Jennings Jr., 35, walked into Mass hand-in-hand with his wife, Evans’ daughter, just before noon Sunday at Saint James the Just Catholic Church in Ogden. Authorities said Jennings went straight up to Evans and shot him in the head. He and his wife, Tara Evans, were standing right before communion.

“He turned his head just at the right time,” said Tara Evans on Monday, crying.

If her husband hadn’t turned, the bullet would have hit the back of his head and killed him, Tara Evans said.

Jennings, known to most as “Ricky,” and his wife, Cheryl Jennings, had a history of domestic disputes, said Ogden Police Lt. Danielle Croyle. Those problems appear to have spilled over into the extended family, she said, though she stopped short of stating a motive. They suspect Jennings may have been using drugs or alcohol at the time of the shooting, she said.

Jennings had previously made threats, said the Rev. Erik Richtsteig, speaking on behalf of the family, but he declined to go into details. Croyle said they don’t yet know the full scope of the relationship between Jennings and his father-in-law.

There were about 300 people in Mass when the shot was fired, including dozens of children. When they heard the gunshot, parishioners hit the floor, said Richtsteig, who himself ducked behind the altar.

“They were a mess — they were worshipping God and this man came in and did an act of violence,” Richtsteig said.

After the initial shock, many parishioners came to the aid of Evans, putting pressure on the wound and keeping his airway clear, Richtsteig said. Others ran after Jennings, who fled the church.

Jennings stole a truck at gunpoint from a nearby house and drove north on the highway trying to elude police. He was caught later on foot after the truck ran out of gas, Croyle said.

Jennings was booked on suspicion of attempted aggravated criminal homicide, aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm by a restricted user. The Weber County District Attorney is expected to file formal charges Tuesday.

Authorities don’t foresee any charges being filed against Evans’ daughter, the wife of the shooter. She was not at Monday’s news conference at the McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden.

James Evans will need reconstructive surgery and rehab to learn to swallow and speak again, Dr. Kerwin said. He was awake, nodding yes and no, writing and using hand signals to communicate, she said. Evans and his wife had just returned from a trip to the Holy Land in Jerusalem with Richtsteig.

“Jim is one of the kindest people I have ever known,” said Richtsteig, who has known the couple for 10 years. “No one deserves this, but I can’t think of a person who would deserve it less this less than Jim.”

Richtseig said the church is offering psychological counseling to people in the church at the time of the shooting.

Sunday evening Mass had to be cancelled to allow police to do crime scene work, he said, but the church was back on schedule Monday morning. Richtseig wants to keep the focus on kindness and bravery exhibited inside the church after the shooting — not the shooter.

“I really didn’t want evil to win, so we had Mass at 8:30,” Richtsteig said.

___

Follow Brady McCombs at https://twitter.com/BradyMcCombs.

Jun 18, 2013

Ann Compton

No Comments

Catholic Mass Shooting: Charles Richard Jennings Shot Father-In-Law At Utah …

OGDEN, Utah — A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of walking into a Catholic church and shooting his father-in-law in the back of the head during Mass.