Man charged with murder in Catholic Supply store shooting
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KFVS/AP) - A man has been charged with murder in a shooting at a Catholic Supply store in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Thomas Bruce, 53, was charged with first-degree murder, eight counts of armed criminal action, three counts of first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy, three counts of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary and tampering with physical evidence in felony prosecution.
According to a church official at a St. Louis-area Calvary Chapel, Bruce was the minister of a Calvary Chapel in Cape Girardeau. He said it disbanded about 10 years ago and that’s when Bruce moved up north. He said Calvary Churches operate individually.
Police held a news conference on Wednesday evening, November 21 where they announced the charges.
The arrest came two days after a gunman entered the Catholic Supply store near Ballwin. Police have said the attacker sexually assaulted someone and shot 53-year-old Jamie Schmidt in the head. She died later at a hospital.
President of the Catholic Supply Dan Stutte tweeted a response following the press conference.
Copyright 2018 KFVS. All rights reserved. The Associated Press also contributed to this story.