Police have identified the Antioch church shooter who killed one and injured seven people Sunday as 25-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson, a Sudan-born longtime US resident.
Samson is from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and studied psychology at Mott Community College. However, according to his Facebook profile, he is from Khartoum, Sudan. Police said he is a legal resident in the US and moved here in the 1990s.
Samson’s Facebook suggests he is a Christian, as he has “liked” a number of Facebook pages relating to Jesus and the Bible. Police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters church members told police he used to attend services at the church.
"He actually had attended this church a year or two years ago," Aaron said. "They said he hasn't been there in quite a while.”
Samson fatally shot a woman outside the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch at about 11:15am Sunday, before entering the church where service was ongoing. The shooter was wearing a ski mask as he opened fire on worshipers.
A church usher confronted Samson and was pistol whipped by him. The usher then went outside to get his own gun from his car and returned to the church. He and Samson reportedly scuffled and Samson then shot himself in the leg by mistake.
Three women and two men were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One man, David Spann, is in critical condition. Samson was also taken to the hospital but has since been released and is in police custody, WAFF reports.
Another two people were taken to Skyline Medical Center. One is in a serious but stable condition.
Samson wrote a number of cryptic Facebook posts on Sunday, and uploaded six photographs of himself posing in the gym, shortly before the shooting.
“You are more than what they told us,” was the first post.
“Become the creator instead of what’s created,” read the second. “Whatever you say, goes.”
“Everything you’ve ever doubted or made to believe as false, is real. & vice versa, B.” his last post read.
The six photos he uploaded were accompanied by the words, “unrestricted, paroxysm.” A paroxysm is defined as any sudden, violent outburst, or a fit of emotion.
Samson’s Facebook page reveals he is a passionate bodybuilder. He has uploaded many photographs of himself lifting weights and posing at the gym, along with bodybuilding memes and inspiration.
Police have not said whether Samson has given any motive for the shooting. It isn’t yet known if he was undergoing some sort of mental health breakdown.