A mass shooting outside an Iowa church took the lives of two women and the shooter.
The incident occurred in the Cornerstone Church’s parking lot in Ames before 7 pm.
According to reports, a youth ministry program was taking place when the shooting happened.
A representative of the church described the victims as being ‘young members’ of the church community but their ages were not released.
It is believed that the shooter, described as an ‘adult male,’ then took his own life after opening fire.
911 calls reporting the mass shooting started to come in before 7 pm on Thursday evening, said Story County Sheriff Capt. Nicholas Lennie.
Two young women died before the gunman shot himself, police said.
Mark Vance of the Salt Company youth ministry at the Cornerstone Church said in a statement: “We are grieving deeply.
“Tonight, a tragic shooting occurred involving two young members of our Cornerstone Church community. It is believed that an adult male shot these two victims and then took his own life.”
Vance did not provide more details about the shooting, citing the investigation is still ongoing.
People remained inside the church and on the grounds for hours after the shooting.
Images from the scene show people hugging one another.
Iowa governor described the shooting as ‘senseless violence.’
“Tonight’s act of senseless violence took the lives of two innocent victims at their place of worship. Kevin and I grieve for the families who have suffered an unfathomable loss,” he wrote on Twitter.
This is the latest mass shootings that have plagued the country in recent weeks. On May 14, 18-year-old Payton Gendron killed 10 people inside a supermarket in New York.
On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Texas.
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