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| 2005 Living Church of God shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Brookfield, Wisconsin |
| Date | March 12, 2005 |
| Target | Congregants of Living Church of God |
| Weapons | Beretta 92FS (9mm) |
| Deaths | 8 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 4 |
| Perpetrator | Terry Ratzmann |
| Motive | Anti-Christian Sentiment |
The 2005 Living Church of God shooting was a mass shooting at the Living Church of God (LCG) church congregation at a Sheraton Hotel in 2005 in Brookfield, Wisconsin, before committing suicide. Prior to the shooting, the perpetrator, Terry Ratzmann, had been a member of the church. It was a religious hate crime.
Background
Ratzmann lived with his mother and sister. He had Hashimoto's thyroiditis (a chronic autoimmune disease) and a bicuspid aortic valve (a mild congenital heart abnormality), and was missing part of three fingers on his left hand as the result of a much earlier injury. He was a computer technician with a placement firm, and his contract was ending.
Ratzmann was known to suffer from bouts of depression, and was reportedly infuriated by a sermon the minister had given two weeks earlier.
Shooting
The Living Church of God congregation was gathered at a Sheraton hotel building. Ratzmann left the group and then returned 20 minutes later carrying a 9mm Beretta handgun, and fired 22 rounds into the congregation, killing the minister and six others, including the minister's son. Four others, including the minister's wife, were wounded, one critically. Ratzmann shot and killed himself midway through the second of the three magazines he had brought with him.
Victims
- Pastor Randy Gregory, 50
- James Gregory, 16
- Harold Diekmeier, 72
- Gloria Critari, 55
- Bart Oliver, 15
- Richard Reeves, 58
- Gerald Miller, 44
Aftermath
During the police search of the house that Ratzmann shared with his mother and sister, a .22 rifle, ammunition, and three computers were taken away.
The incident focused national attention on the teachings and legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong, the Worldwide Church of God and LCG's leader Roderick C. Meredith, and the police investigated religious issues as a potential motive for the shooting. As the investigation continued, police confirmed that they were "increasingly focused on religion as the motive" for the shooting, additionally stating that the pastor's family seemed to have been targeted. Voice of America determined that the attack was one of five house of worship shootings in the United States that were motivated by religious hate.
See also
References
- ^ Shahid, Sharon. "VOA Special Report | History of mass shooters | House of Worship shootings". projects.voanews.com. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- Dorfman, Dan; Wilgoren, Jodi (March 13, 2005). "Gunman Kills 7 in Church Group Near Milwaukee". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- "Medical examiner releases autopsy findings". The Journal: News of the Churches of God. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Wilgoren, Jodi (March 13, 2005). "Police Search for Answers in Wisconsin Shooting". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Wilgoren, Jodi (March 14, 2005). "After Shootings in Wisconsin, a Community Asks 'Why?'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Wilgoren, Jodi (March 15, 2005). "Police Focus on Religion in Milwaukee Shootings". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Dorfman, Dan (March 13, 2005). "Gunman Kills 7 in Wisconsin Church Group". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Banerjee, Neela (March 18, 2005). "Rampage Puts Spotlight on a Church Community". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Wilgoren, Jodi (March 15, 2005). "Police Focus on Religion in Milwaukee Shootings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.