Police were searching Wednesday for an “armed and dangerous” suspect in the fatal shooting of a man Wednesday morning at World Changers Church International in College Park.
Floyd Palmer, 52, is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting in the church’s chapel, according to Fulton County police Cpl. Kay Lester.
Lester said Palmer, a former employee who resigned in August, “walked calmly into the church and left just as calmly,” after the shooting.
Police have not identified the victim who was shot around 10:30 a.m. and later died. Lester said it was not yet clear whether the victim was targeted by the shooter or shot randomly. Lester said the victim was leading prayer at the time of the shooting in the chapel where 20 to 25 people were gathered. Lester said police were in the process of interviewing witnesses.
Channel 2 reported that the victim was a member of the church’s production crew and a facilities maintenance manager at the church.
Creflo Dollar is the pastor of the megachurch. He was not at the church at the time of the shooting, according to Lester.
Earlier police said the suspect left the scene in a black Subaru.
Karen Webb, who had taken her mother to the church for Bible study, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she was told the victim was shot six times.
“I brought my mother up here to go to church — every Wednesday she attends Bible study. As soon as we get here I’m told someone has been shot,” Webb said. “He was one of the praise leaders.” Webb said she was told the shooter was a 20-year member of the church.
Antonio Wills, a former member who lives near the church, said the incident sends “a shock wave through the city.”
Wills said his thoughts were on the man who was killed.
“Hopefully everybody will pray for the victim’s family,” he said.
Fulton County Police asked the school district to lock down Bethune Elementary School and McNair Middle, according to schools spokeswoman Susan Hale. She said the lockdown was lifted around 11 a.m. There was no disruption to the schools or testing, she told Channel 2.
Dollar started World Changers Ministries in 1986 with eight members, holding services in the cafeteria of a local elementary school, according to the church’s website. Its campus now occupies 81 acres, with services held in the 8,500-seat World Dome. Dollar is a regular on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
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