Church slayings

The week's news at a glance.

Baton Rouge, La.

A 25-year-old man went on a shooting rampage at a small church this week, killing four of his estranged wife’s relatives before abducting her and three children. The woman, Erica Bell, was later found dead in her apartment, killed by a gunshot wound; the children, including an infant, were unharmed. The suspect, Anthony Bell, turned himself in to authorities. Two of the dead were Erica’s grandparents, while her mother, church pastor Claudia Brown, was wounded but was expected to survive. Brown’s brother Jeffery Howard said that Anthony had been in and out of Erica’s life. “She was getting on with her life and wanted to keep worshipping and following God, and he just wanted to run on the streets,” Howard said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up