Update: 70-Year-Old Firearms Dealer Is Charged With Capital Murder for Killing Two Men Aged 75 and 84 as Well as Woman Aged 84 After Showing Up to ‘Boomers Pot Luck’ Party at Alabama Church He Did Not Attend

A 70 year-old arms dealer has been named the suspect in the murder of three elderly Alabama churchgoers at a ‘Boomers Potluck’ party.

Robert Findlay Smith, 70, now faces capital murder charges over Thursday’s triple-shooting at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama.

Those killed have been named as Walter ‘Bart’ Rainey, 84, Jane Pounds, 84 and Sarah Yeager, 75, who also goes by the name Sharon.

Authorities believe that Smith produced his concealed gun around an hour into the potluck event and began shooting.

No motive has been given for the shooting. Smith claimed to have been a past attendee of the church, but survivors said they didn’t recognize him from past services.

His mugshot showed him with a huge black eye – believed to have been inflicted after a have-a-go-hero flew at him with a chair in a bid to stop him shooting.

Smith is being held without bond at Jefferson County Jail. Officials have not revealed what the motive was for the attack.

Smith was shown bruised and beaten in his mugshot.

Captain Shane Ware of the Vestavia Hills Police Department said that Smith, who police said acted alone, was subdued shortly after brandishing the pistol, by another attendee, church member Jim Musgrove.

Musgrove reportedly struck the suspect with a chair and wrestled the gun from him.

‘Another attendee at the event subdued the suspect and held him down until law enforcement arrived,’ Ware said of the churchgoer’s actions.

He called the Good Samaritan a ‘hero’ who saved ‘countless lives.’

‘It was extremely critical in saving lives,’ Ware said of Musgrove’s actions. ‘In my opinion, he’s a hero.’

Click here to read more.
Source: Daily Mail