Alabama church shooting

C-470 closed in Lone Tree for police activity

3rd person dies in Alabama church shooting; suspect was ‘occasional attendee’

A third victim in Thursday’s shooting at a church outside Birmingham, Alabama, has died, authorities said Friday.

An 84-year-old woman has died after being rushed to hospital after the shooting, in which a man who sometimes attended St Stephen’s Episcopal Church drew a gun during a dinner, according to police.

The 74-year-old suspect, identified Friday as Robert Findlay Smith, was attending a “Boomers Potlack” gathering at St Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vistavia Hills on Thursday.

At one point, Capt. Shane Weir of Vistavia Hills Police said Smith allegedly “made a revolver” and “started shooting.”

Police said the gunman, who was arrested on Thursday, had occasionally attended mass at the church.

He was identified as Robert Findlay Smith and charged with premeditated murder by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office on Friday.

Authorities announced the death of Walter Rainey, 84, at the scene. Sarah Yeager, 75, announced her death at a nearby hospital.

Vistavia Hills Police said Claire Bounds, 84, who was being treated at the hospital, died Friday of her injuries.

Jefferson County Attorney General Danny Carr said in a news release Friday that Smith has been under arrest warrants for the murders of two or more people on the Capitol and that he is being held without evidence.