One Dead After Gunman Opens Fire Inside Montgomery County Church
NORTH WALES, Pa. (CBS) -- Police are investigating a deadly shooting inside a church in Montgomery County. District Attorney Kevin Steele said at least one shot was fired following an altercation between two church members.
It happened shortly before 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the Keystone Fellowship Church along the 400 block of Stump Road in North Wales.
The victim was identified as 27-year-old Robert Braxton from Montgomeryville. Steele said the identity of the shooter will not be released at this time. He expanded to say authorities are investigating to see if the shooting was justified under the law.
"We have to look at the forensic evidence we have and then we'll have to make determinations," Steele said.
Police say Braxton was shot at least once in the chest and was rushed to Lansdale Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Steele said at the time of the shooting, an upward of 100 people were in the church. Police confirm no one else was injured in the shooting.
Breeana Somers, a three year member of the church was attending the service when things got out of control.
"I guess a fight broke out and gunshots broke out," she said. "The guy pulled a gun."
Somers said it was a typical service when she heard multiple gunshots.
"We were worshiping, and you hear three different gunshots,' Somers told Eyewitness News. "Everybody kind of went on the floor and was hiding."
Somers said this isn't going to stop her from attending service next week with her family.
"I've never feared for my safety. I work in the city too and that happens a lot more, and I think this was an isolated incident, and I think this isn't going to happen again."
According to authorities, no one is in custody, but the individual involved is cooperating with police and being questioned.
On Monday, Montgomery County officials announced that the cause of death for Braxton was multiple gunshot wounds. The death has been ruled a homicide.
