Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall murder suicide: Colorado husband shoots wife dead then self at Thorton location. Husband and wife were former congregants. No known motive.
A man is reported to have fatally shot his wife then himself in a suspected murder-suicide prior to the commencement of Christmas services at Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall in Thornton, Colorado.
In a news release, police said a husband shot his wife dead, before turning the murder weapon on himself around 9 a.m, Sunday morning at the Kingdom Hall in the city about 11 miles from Denver.
The man and woman, who were not identified, were married and former members of the Kingdom Hall congregation, police said.
The deceased’s names were scheduled to bre released by the Adams County Coroner’s Office upon the next-of-kin being notified, KUSA-TV reported.
Of note, a ‘suspicious device’ was also discovered at the scene, police said.
Police investigate murder-suicide at Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall in Thornton pic.twitter.com/phhRemiyu9
— HEART OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES (@JWEnglishJW) December 26, 2022
Here’s where the activity seems to be centered around. Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There is a dead person in the parking lot(not pictured). A window is broken out on the building. Bomb robot checking out the scene now. pic.twitter.com/XIAdVcG4Ka
— Michael Abeyta (@AbeytaCBS4) December 25, 2022
‘Shocked and deeply saddened’
Adams County Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Materials Unit was investigating the incendiary device found at the scene, which was later ‘rendered safe’.
Authorities determined the episode to be domestic and that no active threat to the community existed.
Michael Abeyta, a CBS News Colorado reporter, tweeted that one of the Kingdom Hall’s windows was broken; that there was a dead body in the parking lot; and that a “[b]omb robot” had been deployed on the scene.
No motive or further information was released.
Witnesses told KDVR-TV that someone had fired a gun at a member of the congregation in the parking lot. Witnesses also told the television station that the suspect tried to throw something, similar in appearance to a pipe bomb, into the building.
Authorities have not confirmed those witness reports.
The Sherrelwood Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses said in a statement they were ‘shocked and deeply saddened’ by the shooting.
‘We are shocked and deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and loss of life at our Kingdom Hall in Thornton. We are cooperating with the authorities as they carry out their investigation into the event.
‘Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who have been traumatized by the heinous actions that took the life of an innocent victim and threatened the lives of many others. We are praying for the families of all those affected.’
