Alabama church shooting suspect indicted for capital murder

• Robert Findlay Smith, 70, was indicted by a grand jury for capital murder.
• He is accused of fatally shooting three members of an Alabama church at a potluck last month.

The suspect in the fatal shooting of three members of an Alabama church at a potluck last month has been charged with capital murder.

A grand jury indicted Robert Findlay Smith, 70, on Thursday for capital murder charges stemming from a shooting on June 16 that killed Walter “Bart” Rainey, 84, Sarah Yeager, 75, and Jane Pounds, 84, according to AL.com.

The indictment was made public in court records on Friday.

According to the outlet, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr applauded the indictment but cautioned that the legal prosecution process was “still very early.”

“As we work toward holding Smith accountable, we will work closely with the families of those who died that terrible day, as well as the Vestavia Police Department,” Carr added.

Smith began his shooting spree at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, according to police, when he pulled out a handgun and began firing indiscriminately. Another church member soon interrupted him, rushing him and hitting him with a folding chair.

On June 16, 2022, church members console each other following a shooting at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia, AL.

The parishioner, who was in his 70s at the time, then disarmed Smith and detained him until authorities arrived. Smith was left with a deep bruise under his eye as a result of the hit.

Vestavia Hills Police Capt. Shane Ware described the intervening man’s actions as heroic and life-saving during a press conference the day after the shooting.

“In my opinion, the person who subdued the suspect was a hero,” the police chief said during a news conference. He also stated that his actions were “extremely important in saving lives.”

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