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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Law enforcement with Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook and Jefferson County Sheriffs Department work the scene of a shooting at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills where three people were shot Thursday, June 16, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Law enforcement with Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook work the scene of a shooting at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills where three people were shot Thursday, June 16, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Capt. Shane Ware, with Vestavia Hills Police, briefs the media as law enforcement with Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook work the scene of a shooting at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills where three people were shot Thursday, June 16, 2022. Photo by Erin Nelson.
UPDATE, 7:50 P.M: Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr has identified the third victim as Jane Pounds. Pounds, 84, Hoover, died Friday after being shot Thursday night.
UPDATE, 1:45 p.m: A third victim has passed away from the shooting Thursday night at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, announced VHPD. The 84-year-old woman was a Hoover resident, and she is not being identified, per the family's request.
UPDATE, 10 a.m: Capt. Shane Ware has identified the two victims in Thursday night’s shooting at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Cahaba Heights as 84-year-old Walter Rainey, Irondale, and 75-year-old Sarah Yeager, Pelham. A third shooting victim is still recovering at a local hospital.
The suspect, 70-year-old Robert Findlay Smith, was described at a Friday morning news conference as an “occasional attendee” of the small group that was meeting for a "Boomers Potluck" and at some point, opened fire, shooting the three victims, Ware said. Smith is charged with capital murder with two or more victims.
Another attendee subdued Smith until police arrived, Ware said. Ware called the man, who has not been publicly identified, a “hero” and said his efforts were “critical to saving lives.”
At the press conference, Ware was asked by a local news outlet about conversations exchanged on police scanners at the time of the shooting, which seemed to indicate the suspect was known to police.
“Any past interactions involving this suspect are currently still being investigated by numerous agencies and it would be premature for me at this time to go into that topic,” Ware said.
Mayor Ashley Curry read a statement during the press conference.
“Vestavia Hills is a close-knit, resilient, loving community and I want to state, first and foremost, our prayers go out to the victims and families affected by this senseless act of violence,” Curry said. “Our Vestavia Hills chaplains, along with members of St. Stephen’s and other local churches, are providing grief support for the families and the first responders that were present at the scene of this horrific act.”
All future communications will come from the Vestavia Hills Police Department’s Facebook page and through press releases. The Vestavia Voice will continue to follow this story.
See the original story from Thursday night below:
Shortly after 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, a lone suspect opened fire in a small group gathering at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, killing two people and wounding another, said Vestavia Hills Police Capt. Shane Ware.
The suspect was taken into custody at the scene and there is no threat to the public, Ware said. Those injured in the shooting were taken to a local hospital.
According to the church’s calendar, there was a “Boomers Potluck” scheduled for the evening during the time of the shooting.
Multiple agencies responded to the shooting, including the Vestavia Hills police and fire departments, other over-the-mountain agencies, the Pelham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Marshal Service, Ware said.
The rector of St. Stephen’s, the Rev. John Burruss, is working to get home from Greece, where he was leading a church pilgrimage. He released a video on the church’s Facebook page after the shooting, saying he was deeply moved by the outpouring of love coming in from all over the area.
“In the coming days and coming hours, we’ll have updates on ways to pray and gather,” Burruss said. “That is what we do as people of faith. We come together in the midst of life and death.”
Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry released a statement following the shooting.
“With the tragic news that has broken this evening, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this evening’s shooting at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church,” Curry said. “I would also like to offer thanks on behalf of myself and our Vestavia Hills residents to the first responders from all agencies who have worked tirelessly since this incident began.”
Alison Bolgar grew up in the church, going through confirmation classes and getting married at St. Stephen’s.
“This is so surreal -- my beloved church I have attended my entire life has been the victim of yet another mass shooting crime,” Bolgar said on Facebook. “I have absolutely no words; I am heartbroken.”
