Sudanese bodybuilder gunman bursts into Tennessee church and opens fire killing one woman and wounding six others

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4915264/Six-people-injured-shooting-Nashville-church.html

[size=34]Sudanese bodybuilder gunman bursts into Tennessee church and opens fire killing one woman and wounding six others before being taken down by hero armed usher[/size]

• Shooting happened at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ around 11am
  
  
• One woman is dead and seven others injured after Emanuel Kidega Samson, 25, opened fire
  
  
• Police confirmed married mother-of-two Melanie Smith, 39, of Smyrna, was killed
  
  
• Two victims were critically injured and four are in stable condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center
  
  
• Police say armed church usher Robert Engle, 22, confronted the shooter and stopped the rampage
  
  
• Engle is being treated at TriStar Skyline Medical center for injuries he sustained when suspect pistol-whipped him
  
  
• The last shooting victim is also being treated at TriStar Medical Center 
  
  
• All of those wounded in the shooting except for one person is over the age of 60
  
  
• Family members say two victims include church pastor, Joey Spann and his wife Peggy Spann
  
  
• The church hosts weekly service at 10am and is located on Pin Hook Road 
  
  

By REGINA F. GRAHAM FOR DAILYMAIL.COM 
PUBLISHED: 13:07 EDT, 24 September 2017 | UPDATED: 18:59 EDT, 24 September 2017


Police have identified the masked gunman behind the fatal mass shooting at a Nashville church on Sunday as Emanuel Kidega Samson. 
Melanie Crow Smith, 39, of Smyrna, died and another six were injured when Samson, 25, opened fire at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, 30 minutes southeast of Nashville in Antioch, as services let out at 11.15am.

The attack only stopped thanks to the brave actions of an armed church usher.
Robert Engle, 22, identified by friends on social media, had ran up to confront Samson and despite being repeatedly pistol-whipped in the head, was able to force Samson to shoot himself in the leg. 

'There was a significant struggle between the two,' he said. 'During the struggle, the gunman shot himself, probably not intentionally.' 
Engle then went to his car, grabbed his pistol, and returned to hold the shooter at gunpoint. 
'This particular church member has a handgun carry permit,' Aaron added. 'The usher went to his vehicle, got his gun, came back inside and made sure the gunman didn't make anymore movements until the police department arrived.'
The shooter's condition is not life-threatening and he is under heavy police guard at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Aaron said.  

Family members and church parishioners said pastor Joey Spann and his wife Peggy Spann were also both shot. Married mother-of-two Smith died at the scene.






Police have identified the masked gunman behind the fatal mass shooting at a Nashville church on Sunday as Emanuel Kidega Samson (left and right) 


Samson was a Sudanese born body builder, who graduated from Smyrna High School and studied Psychology at Mott Community College





Police confirmed that the church goer shot dead by Samson was Melanie Smith, 39, of Smyrna (left and right)


Church usher Robert Engle, 22 (pictured) has been hailed as a hero after he stopped the shooter 

Police say that Samson, originally from Khartoum, Sudan but who now lives in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was spotted in the parking lot wearing a mask before he shot dead Smith. 

'A gunman wearing a neoprene mask arrived in the parking lot and one woman who was walking to her vehicle was immediately fatally wounded by the gunman,' Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron said at a press conference.