Revenge Was the Motive in CO Shooting
By John Jessup
CBN News Washington Correspondent
December 14, 2007
CWN.com - WASHINGTON - Revenge was apparently a motive in Sunday's church shootings in Colorado. Five people, including gunman Matthew Murray, are dead.
Survivors are honoring the heroes who kept Murray from taking even more lives.
Police say 24-year-old Murray - once enrolled in a training program at Youth With a Mission - was responsible for both attacks.
They're investigating anti-religious writings Murray's believed to have posted on the internet between the shootings.
Through his uncle, Pastor Phil Abeyta, Murray's family offered an apology.
"On behalf of our family and our son, we ask for forgiveness. We ask for prayer for the victims and their families during this time of grief," Abeyta said. And with an embrace, Y-WAM's Peter Warren accepted the apology.
Warren said, "Our hearts go out to the Murray family, to who we extend the spirit of love and compassion."
The Victims
The two who died in the church shooting were teenage sisters Rachael and Stephanie Works. Stephanie, 18, had just returned from a missionary trip to China.
Two employees with the missions program also died: 26-year old Tiffany Johnson and 24-year old Philip Crouse.
Several others were injured, but police say it could have been much worse.
Murray reportedly had more than a thousand rounds of ammunition and more weapons in his van.
Still, out of this story of tragedy emerges a few who some are calling heroes, the first two being slain Y-WAM staff workers, Johnson and Crouse.
Shortly after midnight Sunday morning, police say Murray arrived at the center looking for a place to stay.
According to an email from Y-WAM's leadership team, obtained by CBN News, Johnson and Crouse only refused to let him stay in student housing but were trying to find someplace else for him. That action may have saved the lives of dozens of young people.
'I Just Knew What I Had to Do'
Then there's Jeanne Assam who said: "I just knew I was not going to wait for him to do any further damage. I just knew what I had to do."
Assam - a former Minneapolis police officer - saw members of the congregation panic, walked towards the gunfire, and drew her weapon.
"I just knew that I was given the assignment to end this before it got too much worse," she said. "And I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide me. I just said, 'Holy Spirit, be with me.'
Assam says she was on a fast and felt a little weak at the time.
She and others say God spared their lives.
Shooting victim Larry Bourbonnais said, "It's the mercy of God, I think, that we all survived."
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
