Mr. Minter was seated between the woman and their one-month-old child near the front of the sanctuary at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, when he suddenly stood and shot them, according to NBC and the Associated Press.
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An Alabama man is behind bars after police say he shot three people including an infant during a church service yesterday morning. James Junior Minter was arrested and is being held without bond in the shooting of his girlfriend, their infant son and the pastor, according to Fox News on Sunday. The pastor and members of the congregation that wrestled a gun away from a man police say opened fired in an Alabama church are being praised as heroes.
Investigators told the Alabama News Network there was a domestic issue between Minter and the girlfriend, including child visitation.
Minter has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and may face other charges, police said.
Witnesses then claim the 26-year-old pulled out a handgun and his girlfriend fell to the ground.
Police recovered the gun reportedly used in the incident and located Minter’s auto near the church.
The mother and son are now in stable condition, while Pastor Carswell was also taken to the emergency room for treatment.
“It’s hard to comprehend it, it’s hard to understand it but a lot of people are struggling”.
District Attorney Michael Jackson was furious during the arraignment proceedings at the Dallas County Courthouse, calling Minter “a coward who was lower than low to do what he did to that baby”.
“We have too many people running around with guns that don’t need to be carrying”, Jackson told WJTV.
Earl Carswell, 81, who shares pastoral duties with his minister son, said it was apparent Minter was intent on killing the mother of his child as soon as he walked through the front door.
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Bob Carswell said the woman has attended the church with her family for about a year, but Minter hadn’t been to worship before. “That’s the way society is going now”.
