Shooting at church in Vestavia Hills kills 2

Jun. 17—A mass shooting at a church in Vestavia Hills on Thursday killed two people and wounded another, police said.

A suspect was taken into custody shortly after the incident at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church at 6:22 p.m., Vestavia Hills Police Capt. Shane Ware said.

Vestavia Hills is about 15 minutes southeast of Birmingham. It is about an hour southwest of Anniston.

Ware did not identify the suspect, the deceased or the wounded during three briefings Thursday night. He said the injured person was taken to a Birmingham hospital.

"We know of no additional threat to either the community of Vestavia Hills or our neighboring community of Mountain Brook," Ware said.

Multiple law enforcement and fire and rescue agencies responded.

Ware said assistance came from Mountain Brook and Hoover police, the Jefferson and Shelby County sheriff's offices, FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service.

The shooting happened during a pot-luck dinner at the church, which is located at 3775 Crosshaven Dr. in the Cahaba Heights area of Vestavia Hills.

A spokesperson for the church's bishop office said all members of church staff were safe.

"We are praying for healing and safety for all of those affected," Rev. Kelley Hudlow told Birmingham TV station WVTM, Channel 13. "We know this is a traumatic thing thayt has happened to our church and community."

Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement that she was shocked by the loss of life.

"We want to offer our prayers for the victim's family, the injured and the entire church community," Ivey said in a statement.

"I am glad to hear the shooter is in custody. This should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere. We continue to closely monitor the situation."

Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry released a statement on the city's Facebook page.

"With the tragic news that has broken this evening, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this evening's shooting at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church," Curry said.

"I would also like to offer thanks on behalf of myself and our Vestavia Hills residents to the first responders from all agencies who have worked tirelessly since this incident began," Curry added.

The church is located in a part of Vestavia Hills with several other places of worship.

"I'm overwhelmed. And saddened. I've dealt with a lot of sadness but never anything like this. Just unprovoked," Huey Gardner, rector at St Mary's on the Highlands, a sister church, told Alabama Media Group.

Police continued to investigate Thursday night.