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Sunday, March 8, 2009

5 Shot in Illinois Church during Service

A gunman reportedly stepped on stage at First Baptist Church in Maryville, Ill. and opened fire, shooting five people and killing the pastor.

Parishioners charged the gunman, who was reportedly stabbed by one of them. The suspect is in police custody.

Pastor Fred Winters was shot three times, police said. He died at Anderson Hospital, a spokeswoman told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Winters reportedly welcomed the man onto the stage before he started shooting. It was not clear if the two knew each other or if the gunman was a parishioner.

Six people, two in critical condition, were taken to a local hospitals.

The church has an average attendance of more than 1,200 and was officially organized on March 4, 1945, according to their Web site. - FOX News

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