A pastor at a Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio, was shot and killed by his own brother during Sunday service in Dayton, Ohio, the police said.
The police identified the victim as Rev. William Schooler, 70, who was killed inside the St. Peter's Missionary Church by suspect Daniel Schooler, 68, the Montgomery County Coroner's Office and Dayton police said, according to NBC News.
Schooler was shot at around 12:22 p.m. Sunday as the choir was singing. The police said it was a domestic dispute and no other persons were injured.
The pastor was a community leader and a former Dayton Board of Education member, reported WHIO.
"I just got everybody out of the church and we just kept hearing shooting and shooting," said witness and church member Alberta Blayth.
She said she saw the suspect go to the office while the pastor and his wife were inside.
A call by a church member to 911 said, "Our pastor just got shot by his brother! ... He's still shooting him!"
The caller said the shooter was "in the back, with his brother and his wife."
Choir director Curtis Booker said she saw Daniel Schooler get up to follow his brother at the back.
"Then I heard the first pop and I thought he fell because there's a little step right there. Then I heard a second pop. And I was like, that sounds like gunshots," he said.
According to the police, Schooler was shot multiple times.
"I want to make sure the public understands this is not a random act of violence," said Sgt. Creigee Coleman. "This was somewhat of a domestic situation between family members."
The suspect was arrested at the church and is now at the Montgomery County Jail where he was booked on suspicion of murder. His arraignment is set on Monday.
Joyce Napier, niece of the pastor and suspect, said Daniel suffered from mental illness.
"Bipolar, schizophrenic. He had a lot of things going on he was dealing with. I don't think he woke up this morning and said 'I want to kill my brother.' I just think the mental state and illness goes together and that's what evil does," she said.
The Schooler family said what happened will not weaken their filial bonds.
"We stick together. And we pray. And don't turn on each other ... because he has daughters, the other one has daughters. And we loved them both, so we have to stick together. That's all we know, that's all we have," she said.
