Youth Pastors: A Case Study
A youth pastor in Virginia was held in county jail without bond after being charged in the triple murder of his family members on Thanksgiving night, according to a statement from the Chesterfield County Police on Nov. 24.
In a statement released on Friday, Sergeant P.H. Zoffuto said 58-year-old pastor Christopher Gattis has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his 58-year-old wife Jeanett Gattis, 30-year-old stepdaughter Candice Kunze, and the latter’s 36-year-old boyfriend Andrew Buthorn. The suspect has also been charged with three counts of using a firearm in a felony, Reuters detailed.
The shooting, which happened before 11:30 pm on Thanksgiving night, seemed to be a domestic issue, but police are still investigating the case. Gattis was scheduled to face the General District Court on Nov. 27. …show more content…
Grace Lutheran Church, where Gattis was serving as a youth pastor, released a statement expressing sadness over the fatal shooting in Chester.
It is also asking for prayers as their congregation deals with the grief experienced by the people affected by the recent deaths, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
“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 church said in its statement. “Grace Lutheran Church has experienced many hardships over the years, but this heartbreak has unique challenges. Grace Lutheran Church asks for the prayers from the community as our congregation begins the process of addressing the grief being experienced by everyone involved.”
Meanwhile, neighbors like Darius Williams expressed shock at what Gattis allegedly do, saying he did not expect such an incident to happen in their place. He said he heard two bangs but did not think much of it as his young nephew thought it was just a
firecracker.
Larry Patton, on the other hand, said the Gattis household welcomed them when they moved into the neighborhood less than two years ago. He also said he was not aware of any disagreement among family before the deadly shooting.
In a statement released on Friday, Sergeant P.H. Zoffuto said 58-year-old pastor Christopher Gattis has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his 58-year-old wife Jeanett Gattis, 30-year-old stepdaughter Candice Kunze, and the latter’s 36-year-old boyfriend Andrew Buthorn. The suspect has also been charged with three counts of using a firearm in a felony, Reuters detailed.
The shooting, which happened before 11:30 pm on Thanksgiving night, seemed to be a domestic issue, but police are still investigating the case. Gattis was scheduled to face the General District Court on Nov. 27. …show more content…
Grace Lutheran Church, where Gattis was serving as a youth pastor, released a statement expressing sadness over the fatal shooting in Chester.
It is also asking for prayers as their congregation deals with the grief experienced by the people affected by the recent deaths, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
“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 church said in its statement. “Grace Lutheran Church has experienced many hardships over the years, but this heartbreak has unique challenges. Grace Lutheran Church asks for the prayers from the community as our congregation begins the process of addressing the grief being experienced by everyone involved.”
Meanwhile, neighbors like Darius Williams expressed shock at what Gattis allegedly do, saying he did not expect such an incident to happen in their place. He said he heard two bangs but did not think much of it as his young nephew thought it was just a
firecracker.
Larry Patton, on the other hand, said the Gattis household welcomed them when they moved into the neighborhood less than two years ago. He also said he was not aware of any disagreement among family before the deadly shooting.