A pastor is in custody Friday after allegedly shooting and killing three people on Thanksgiving Day in Chesterfield County, Va.
Christopher Gattis, 58, a church youth pastor, was arrested and taken into custody Thursday around 11:30 p.m. after allegedly shooting three people in a triple homicide Thanksgiving Day, BuzzFeed News reported.
Gattis allegedly killed his wife, Jeanett Gattis, her daughter, Candice Kunze, and her daughter’s boyfriend, Andrew Buthorn. Police identified their bodies Friday. Gattis is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and the use of a firearm of a felony, WTVR reported.
Neighbor Mike Brown described his shock after the incident, saying, “We were all friends. We hang out sometimes [and] cook out in the back … [I] had no clue that they were having problems that I knew of, but behind closed doors is behind closed doors.” Brown also described Gattis as a gentle man.
Grace Lutheran Church, where Gattis works as the youth ministries coordinator, also issued a statement. “Members of Grace Lutheran Church are deeply saddened by the loss of life last night as a result of three individuals being shot in Chester and this tragedy included members of Grace Lutheran Church,” the statement read. “Grace Lutheran Church has experienced many hardships over the years, but this heartbreak has unique challenges.”
Officials are describing the incident as a domestic dispute.
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