Vestavia Hills church shooting

Church shooting in Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Vestavia Hills church shooting

Location of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama

Location| St. Stephen's Episcopal Church,
3775 Crosshaven Drive
Vestavia Hills, Alabama, U.S.
Coordinates| 33°28′8.0″N 86°43′50.5″W﻿ / ﻿33.468889°N 86.730694°W﻿ / 33.468889; -86.730694
Date| June 16, 2022 (2022-06-16)
6:22 p.m. – c. 6:30 p.m. (UTC−06:00)

Attack type

| Shooting, homicide, triple-murder
Weapons| Handgun[1]
Deaths| 3
Injured| 0
Perpetrator| Robert Findlay Smith[2]
Verdict| Pleaded Guilty: Sentenced to life imprisonment without parole
Convictions| Capital Murder x3

The Vestavia Hills church shooting occurred on June 16, 2022, at 6:22 p.m. local time in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. A man entered the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and opened fire during a potluck meeting, which the church had previously advertised. Two people were killed at the scene, a third died later in hospital, and the suspect is subsequently in custody.[3][4][5] The suspect was a 70-year-old Birmingham man named Robert Findlay Smith (born December 23, 1951),[6][2] a gun dealer.[7][8] On May 2, 2023, Smith pled guilty in the shooting and was sentenced to life without parole.[9][10][11]

## Victims

[edit]

* Sarah Yeager, 75[3]
* Walter Rainey, 84[3]
* Jane Pounds, 84, initially reported injured, died at a local hospital. Her family requested that her name be withheld, but it was made public by the press.[4][12]

## Reactions

[edit]

Following the shooting, Alabama governor Kay Ivey issued a statement saying that the shooting is "shocking and tragic," adding that "this should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere."[13]

During a Sunday morning service on June 19, 2022, the church gathered to honor the members who were shot and killed during the shooting.[14]

## See also

[edit]

* Gun violence in the United States
* List of mass shootings in the United States in 2022

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Alabama church shooter gets life for killing 3 at 'Boomers Potluck'". NBC News. May 3, 2023. Archived from the original on July 29, 2023.
2. ^ a b Hernandez, Emily (June 18, 2022). "Police ID Suspect in Alabama Church Potluck Shooting as Robert Findlay Smith". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
3. ^ a b c Reeves, Jay; Chandler, Kim (June 17, 2022). "Gunman kills 3 seniors over potluck dinner at Alabama church". AP NEWS. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
4. ^ a b Hanna, Jason (June 17, 2022). "A third victim has died after a shooting at Alabama church where the suspect was an occasional attendee". CNN. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
5. ^ Santucci, Jeanine (June 16, 2022). "2 killed, 1 injured in Alabama church shooting, authorities say; suspected shooter in custody". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
6. ^ Robinson, Carol (June 17, 2022). "70-year-old man charged in Vestavia Hills church shooting that killed 3". Advance Local.
7. ^ Boniello, Kathianne (June 19, 2022). "Accused Alabama church shooter was gun dealer, had run afoul of ATF: report". New York Post. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
8. ^ Luperon, Alberto (June 19, 2022). "Defendant in Alabama Church Shooting Was Firearms Dealer Who Once Crossed Paths with Federal Authorities". Law & Crime. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
9. ^ Robinson, Carol (May 2, 2023). "St. Stephen's Episcopal Church shooter pleads guilty to murder of 3 at potluck supper". al.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
10. ^ Schladebeck, Jessica (May 3, 2023). "Alabama man gets life in prison for shooting 3 during church potluck dinner". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
11. ^ Coote, Darryl (May 3, 2023). "Man who killed three in Alabama church shooting sentenced to life". UPI. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
12. ^ "Suspect charged with capital murder after 3 people are dead in shooting at Vestavia Hills, Ala. church". WBRC. June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
13. ^ Tanyos, Faris (June 17, 2022). "2 killed, 1 wounded in shooting at Alabama church; suspect in custody". CBS Interactive Inc. CBS News. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
14. ^ Nunnally, Diamond (June 19, 2022). ""They modeled unconditional love" : St. Stephen's Episcopal Church honor shooting victims". WBMA. Retrieved June 20, 2022.

*[c.]: circa