A man is accused of shooting a bishop and bride at a New Hampshire church on Saturday, authorities said. Dale Holloway, 37, faces a count of first-degree assault, according to the state attorney’s office in a CNN report. Some of the people are personally connected to an alleged murder that happened earlier this month.
Prosecutors said Holloway opened fire at the New England Pentecostal Ministries in Pelham, shooting 75-year-old bishop Stanley Choate in the chest, and the 60-year-old bride Claire McMullen in the arm. Mark Castiglione, 60, who was identified as the groom, was hit in the head by an object, authorities said. Pelham Police Chief Joseph Roark told reporters that guests “basically gang-tackled” the shooter.
“‘Boom boom’ and then turned around & aimed at my son & his future wife & shot again.” Father of the groom who was injured yesterday during church wedding in #Pelham speaks out about the terrifying moments & how his other son tackled the shooter. @WMUR9 at 5/6pm #WMUR pic.twitter.com/PwC38FfuK3
— WMUR TV (@WMUR9) October 13, 2019
Right now, authorities say they are investigating, and have not announced a motive, but they acknowledge the incident’s possible link to a pending murder case involving defendant Brandon Castiglione, 24.
“Whether there is in fact a clear connection between these two events that is something we’re trying to put together,” Senior Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Agati told CNN.
The prosecutor said it was his understanding that the Mark Castiglione in this incident is the father of defendant Brandon Castiglione. The son is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of pastor Luis Garcia, 60. Bishop Choate publicly commented on this case.
“I don’t know what occurred, but apparently, there was something that sparked Brandon off to become irritable to Luis,” he told WMUR in an October 2 report.
He said Garcia and Brandon Castiglione were friends, and the pastor had been at a home helping the defendant’s father with painting.
Choate described Brandon Castiglione as having mental problems. Garcia, a minister at New England Pentecostal Ministries, had been attempting to help, said the bishop.
An obituary for Garcia names a Dale Holloway as a stepson.
Defendant Holloway is scheduled for an arraignment to take place Tuesday.
[Screengrab via WMUR]
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