Suspect arrested in shooting of Idaho pastor who prayed with Ted Cruz

The man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding an Idaho pastor last weekend was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents Tuesday after he allegedly threw items over the fence at the White House, police said.

The suspect in the attack on Pastor Tim Remington, Kyle Odom, was arrested about 5:30 p.m. in Washington “safely and without incident,” according to Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White.

White said he was told Odom threw flash drives and other unidentified items over the fence. Hazardous materials and bomb teams were working to identify the other items, he said.

Odom, a former Marine from Coeur d’Alene, is suspected of shooting Remington a day after Remington led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

Authorities say there’s no indication Remington’s appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting, as they work to figure out what motivated the attack outside his church in broad daylight.

“However, it does appear that this was a pre-planned attack,” Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White said Monday. “And I will tell you that some details surrounding Mr. Odom’s planning are disturbing.”

He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, several news outlets in Spokane received letters on Tuesday that purported to be from Odom, Coeur d’Alene Det. Jared Reneau said. The letters, postmarked Monday, contained a sheet of paper that read “The Truth About Kyle Odom,” but had nothing else written on them, Reneau said.

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“We are trying to confirm their authenticity,” Reneau said.

Remington, 55, regained consciousness Monday night in a Coeur d’Alene hospital, said John Padula, outreach pastor for the Altar Church, where Remington is the senior pastor.

“He’s whispering and talking to his family a little bit,” Padula said Tuesday. “He’s doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb’s up last night when I went in.”

Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said.

Remington and his wife have been with the Altar Church for nearly two decades, and they have specialized in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The church has extensive programs, including in-patient rehabilitation, for addicts, Padula said.

Padula was a meth addict for 17 years before going through the church’s program seven years ago, he said.

Police said Odom drove to the Spokane area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail.

Odom had no connection with the church before showing up before services early Sunday, Padula said.

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department issued a warrant of attempted first-degree murder for Odom, who has no criminal record but does have a history of mental illness.

Odom served in the Marines from 2006 to 2010, winning an Iraq Campaign Medal and other awards. He rose to the rank of corporal.

Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry.

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