Two people were killed and one was injured at a church near Birmingham, Al., Thursday evening, USA Today reports. Police responded to active shooter reports during a potluck dinner at St. Stephens Episcopal Church. The suspect was arrested. Police said the shooter was a 71-year-old man who occasionally attended services,, reports the Associated Press. Vestavia Hills Police Capt. Shane Ware said the man entered a small meeting at the church and began shooting. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said she is closely monitoring the situation and praying for the victims and the community.
This shooting is the latest of many in a house of worship. In May, a Southern California church shooting left one dead and five injured, a crime that authorities described as a "politically motivated hate incident" against the Taiwanese community. The Alabama shooting occurred on the eve of Friday's seventh anniversary of the massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.