A gunman who already had killed one person burst through the doors of a central Florida church on Sunday, shooting and wounding the pastor and associate pastor before parishioners tackled him, authorities said.
The bystanders held down the accused gunman, 57-year-old Jeremiah Fogel, until deputies arrived. No other church members were hurt.
The conditions of the pastor, William Boss, and associate pastor Carl Stewart were not immediately known. A morning church service had wrapped up and church members were preparing for the next service when the shooter came inside, the Polk County Sheriff's office said.
The two were shot at the Greater Faith Christian Church in Lakeland, about 48km east of Tampa. The person who was killed at the home was not yet identified.
The church, a red-brick building across the street from a mobile home park that also serves as a school, was blocked by yellow police tape Sunday.
Bryan Neely, who owns a motorcycle shop about two blocks away, said the church is relatively small and has an academy for schoolchildren.
"I've never heard of any problems there," Neely said.
Several police cars blocked off the street in front. Neighbours said ambulances and police cars rushed down the street of the normally quiet neighbourhood when the shooting happened.
The suspect owned a limousine service that provided transportation to the airport and often worked outside with his wife, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds, neighbours said.
AP