70-year-old man shoots and kills three people at Alabama church Transcript

Jake Tapper: (00:00)
Topping our national lead, police say that a third victim has died after that mass shooting at a church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. Police say a gunman opened fire at attendees of a church potluck dinner last night. Police have a 71-year-old man in custody, as CNN’s Nadia Romero reports for us. The alleged gunman was stopped and subdued, and held down by another parishioner.

Speaker 2: (00:26)
We are getting reports of a possible active shooter.

Nadia Romero: (00:31)
Three people are dead after a shooting Thursday night at a church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham.

Speaker 4: (00:38)
An active shooter incident with injuries. Scene is not secure. At least three patients.

Nadia Romero: (00:43)
Police say St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was hosting a potluck dinner when the suspect, a 71-year-old man who was attending the event, opened fire.

Speaker 5: (00:52)
At some point, he produced a handgun and began shooting, striking three victims.

Speaker 4: (00:59)
Best estimate we have at this time for patients is going to be in the parish hall. The shooter has been held down at this time, but the scene is not secure.

Nadia Romero: (01:07)
Investigators say after opening fire, the suspect was held down by another person at the event.

Speaker 6: (01:12)
We can’t get radio reception. Multiple people down. Subject in custody.

Nadia Romero: (01:16)
Police identifying the victims as 84-year-old Walter Rainey, who died on the scene, and 75-year-old Sarah Yeager, who died at the hospital. The third victim, an 84-year-old woman, died at the hospital Friday. The ordeal leaving the community in disbelief.

Speaker 7: (01:31)
You see it in places you’ve never been to, people you don’t know, and then now you’re thinking, that could’ve been one of my friends down there.

Nadia Romero: (01:39)
Former US Senator Doug Jones has lived in the neighborhood for nearly three decades.

Doug Jones: (01:44)
I think it just goes to show that no community is immune from this kind of gun violence that we see playing out across the country. No one is immune.

Nadia Romero: (01:54)
So far, investigators have not released a motive, but say the suspect who is in custody acted alone. Police praising the bravery of the person who held down the suspect until they arrived.

Speaker 9: (02:02)
The person that subdued the suspect, in my opinion, is a hero.

Speaker 9: (02:06)
(singing)

Nadia Romero: (02:08)
Earlier today, parishioners packed a prayer vigil at St. Lucipa School Church, about six miles away.

Speaker 10: (02:14)
I think the church has got a lot to mourn.

Nadia Romero: (02:19)
So the mayor here in this town says this was simply a senseless act of violence. He says that there are chaplains providing grief counseling to the victims’ families and the first responders. And Jake, as you know, churches, places of worship are not immune to gun violence. Today marks seven years since nine people were gunned down in their own church, Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Seven years today. Jake.

Jake Tapper: (02:45)
Nadia Romero, thank you so much. Appreciate it.