Man Upset by Girls’ Reading of Bible at Mass Slays Priest, 2 Others

A man reportedly upset because girls were allowed to read from the Bible at a special children’s Mass opened fire with a shotgun in a Roman Catholic church Thursday and killed a priest, a janitor and a parishioner.

Police apprehended the suspect, who identified himself only as “Elijah,” after the Biblical prophet.

The victims were the Rev. John Rossiter, 64; janitor William Hammes, 66, and Ferdinand Roth Sr., 55, a parishioner of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church.

Police Chief John Dlouhy identified the suspect as Bryan Stanley, 29, who recently moved to the area from nearby La Crosse. Dlouhy said Stanley will be arraigned Monday on three counts of first-degree murder.

The suspect was captured about a half-mile away from the church after a brief chase.

Sister Rose Frances, principal of the parish school, said the suspect talked to Rossiter before Mass and asked why the girls were being allowed to read. Rossiter said that it was within his authority to have the girls participate.

Sister Rose Frances said the man had been seen around the church the last few days.

“It was a children’s Mass and when you have a children’s Mass you let them participate as much as possible,” said Sister Sharon Houle.

After the children left the church following Mass, Rossiter knelt at a pew apparently in prayer, Sister Rose Frances said. The man then fired at Rossiter, Hammes and Roth with a shotgun, killing all three, she said.

“It is an unbelievable shock,” Bishop John Paul of the La Crosse Diocese said. He described Rossiter “as a tremendous priest of the diocese and a longtime personal friend.”