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2005 Living Church of God shooting

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2005 Living Church of God shooting
LocationBrookfield, Wisconsin, U.S.
DateMarch 12, 2005
12:50 p.m.
TargetCongregants of Living Church of God
Attack type
Mass shooting, murder-suicide, mass murder
Weapon9mm Beretta 92FS semi-automatic pistol
Deaths8 (including the perpetrator)
Injured4
PerpetratorTerry Ratzmann
MotiveAnti-Christian sentiment

The 2005 Living Church of God shooting was a mass shooting that occurred at the Living Church of God (LCG) church congregation at a Sheraton Hotel in 2005 in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Prior to the shooting, the perpetrator, Terry Ratzmann, had been a member of the church. It was a religious hate crime.[1]

Background

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Terry M. Ratzmann (April 29, 1960 - March 12, 2005)[2] lived with his mother and sister.[3] 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.[4] He was a computer technician with a placement firm, and his contract was ending.[5]

Ratzmann was known to suffer from bouts of depression,[6] and was reportedly infuriated by a sermon the minister had given two weeks earlier.[clarification needed][7]

Shooting

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The Living Church of God congregation was gathered at a Sheraton hotel building.[8] Ratzmann entered 20 minutes after the 12:30 service began,[9] carrying a 9mm Beretta handgun, and fired 22 rounds into the congregation over the course of a minute,[10] killing the minister and six others, including the minister's son.[11] Four others, including the minister's wife, were wounded and hospitalized, with her being critically injured.[12] Ratzmann emptied a 13 round magazine before reloading, then fired more shots before he shot and killed himself, leaving 4 rounds left in the second of the three magazines he had brought with him.[13][14][15]

Victims

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  • Pastor Randy Lynn Gregory, 51
  • James Isaac Gregory, 16
  • Harold Leroy Diekmeier, 74[16]
  • Gloria Sue Critari, 55
  • Bart Jameson Oliver, 15
  • Richard Wayne Reeves, 58
  • Gerald Anthony Miller, 44

Aftermath

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Police searched the home that Ratzmann shared with his mother and sister and recovered .22 caliber ammunition and three computers from the home.[17]

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,[18] 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.[19] 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.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Shahid, Sharon. "VOA Special Report | History of mass shooters". Voice of America. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  2. ^ Staff, KOLLIN KOSMICKI-GM Today (March 9, 2006). "A trail of blood, tears and questions". Greater Milwaukee Today. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  3. ^ Dorfman, Dan; Wilgoren, Jodi (March 13, 2005). "Gunman Kills 7 in Church Group Near Milwaukee". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  4. ^ "Medical examiner releases autopsy findings". The Journal: News of the Churches of God. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  5. ^ Wilgoren, Jodi (March 13, 2005). "Police Search for Answers in Wisconsin Shooting". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  6. ^ Wilgoren, Jodi (March 14, 2005). "After Shootings in Wisconsin, a Community Asks 'Why?'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  7. ^ Wilgoren, Jodi (March 15, 2005). "Police Focus on Religion in Milwaukee Shootings". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  8. ^ "Church, Police Probe 7 Murders - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. March 14, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  9. ^ Times, JODI WILGOREN New York. "Police Focus on Religion in Milwaukee Shootings". Hendersonville Times-News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  10. ^ "Officials end investigation of deadly church shooting". Wilmington Star-News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  11. ^ "Relatives struggle for answers after shooting". NBC News. March 12, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "Job, Sermon Upset Church Gunman - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. March 12, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  13. ^ "Ratzmann's friend recalls troubled man, horrible day". Greater Milwaukee Today. March 18, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  14. ^ "Hotel gunman who killed 7 upset about sermon, losing job". The Seattle Times. March 14, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  15. ^ York, James Bone in New (March 14, 2005). "Member of pacifist church shoots 11 at service". www.thetimes.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  16. ^ Dorfman, Dan (March 13, 2005). "Gunman Kills 7 in Wisconsin Church Group". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  17. ^ Juliet Williams and Ryan Nakashima. "Wisconsin gunman described as being angry over sermon". Wilmington Star-News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  18. ^ Banerjee, Neela (March 18, 2005). "Rampage Puts Spotlight on a Church Community". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  19. ^ Wilgoren, Jodi (March 15, 2005). "Police Focus on Religion in Milwaukee Shootings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
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