Priest Wounded in Maryland Church Shooting Dies
A priest critically wounded when a gunman opened fire at an Episcopal church in Maryland has been pronounced dead.
The Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn, co-rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Ellicott City, was declared dead at Shock Trauma in Baltimore on Saturday night, Howard County Police announced Sunday.
The 62-year-old priest was on life support at Shock Trauma since Thursday night, when a homeless man, identified as Douglas Jones, opened fire with his handgun at her and the church's secretary, Brenda Brewington, who was declared dead at the scene.
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The shooter, who was allegedly turned away from the church's food bank, killed himself in the woods where he lived soon thereafter.
The church stated earlier that Kohn was on life support as per her family's intentions to donate her organs, according to The Associated Press. Her body was taken to the medical examiner for autopsy.
Kohn's family issued a statement Friday night, saying, "The Reverend Kohn was transported to Shock Trauma last evening and remains on life support in critical condition to support the family intentions to provide the gift of life through organ donation."
The church planned a private service on Sunday.
"St. Peter's has a long history of caring for the poor and needy in Howard County, a tradition formed at the very birth of this church in 1842, and a ministry that was lovingly continued by the Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn and Brenda Brewington until the tragic events of May 3," wbaltv.com quoted Parish Warden Craig Stuart-Paul as saying.
Stuart-Paul also said Kohn never turned away a person in need, adding that even in death, she is giving life through her organs.
