A shooting inside a church in East Selma, Alabama on Sunday resulted in a woman, her newborn infant and the pastor being wounded and a 26-year-old man held on three counts of attempted murder.
James Junior Minter was arrested by police about a mile away from Oasis Tabernacle Church after the shooting in which he reportedly took out a gun out and fired at his 24-year-old girlfriend and her baby boy,
reported the Selma Times Journal.
Pastor Earl Carswell was shot while trying to grab Minter during the shooting.
The woman suffered gunshot wounds to the shoulder and jaw while her son was hit in the hand.
"He took a seat on the bench on the front row with his family, and then he just got into it, pulled a weapon and started shooting," said Lt. Curtis Muhannad with the Selma Police Department.
The
Alabama News Network said witnesses told authorities that Minter entered the church and sat in the front row between the woman and child. Shortly after, the witnesses said, he took out a handgun and started shooting.
Witnesses said the woman fell to the floor and Carswell was shot in the leg when he approached and grabbed Minter. Other church members subdued Minter and took away his weapon, but he was able to get away and run from the church.
Police recovered the gun reportedly used in the incident and located Minter's car near the church.
The Times Journal said the woman, her one-month-old child and the pastor were transported to a hospital in Birmingham where they were listed in stable condition Sunday.
Investigators told the Alabama News Network there was a domestic issue between Minter and the girlfriend, including child visitation.
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