A 66-year-old man from Tulsa, Oklahoma has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a Catholic priest outside a rectory in northeast Kansas, officials announced Friday.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, where law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting. According to the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office, officers found Father Arul Carasala, 57, suffering from gunshot wounds near the rectory. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Authorities later arrested Gary Hermesch, who now faces charges of first-degree murder. Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert stated in a written release that the charging documents allege Hermesch acted “intentionally and with premeditation.” He is currently being held at the Nemaha County Jail with bond set at $1 million.
Officials have not disclosed a possible motive for the shooting, nor have they clarified whether Hermesch and Father Carasala knew each other prior to the incident.
Further details remain limited as the investigation continues.
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