Abortion provider Tiller shot dead at Kansas church; Wichita official says suspect in custody
By ROXANA HEGEMAN Associated Press Writer
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Prominent late-term abortion provider George Tiller was shot and killed Sunday in a Wichita church where he was serving as an usher, his attorney said. The gunman fled but a city official said a suspect is in custody.
The city official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. The official did not provide additional details.
Long a focus of national anti-abortion groups, including a summer-long protest in 1991, Tiller was shot during morning services at Reformation Lutheran Church while his wife was in the choir, his attorney Dan Monnat said. Police said the gunman had fled in a car registered in Merriam, a Kansas City suburb nearly 200 miles away.
Tiller's Women's Health Care Services clinic is one of just three in the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of pregnancy.
Tiller's killing is "an unspeakable tragedy," his widow, four children and 10 grandchildren said in statement issued by Monnat. "This is particularly heart-wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace."
The family said its loss "is also a loss for the city of Wichita and women across America. George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and violence."
A protester shot Tiller in both arms in 1993, and his clinic was bombed in 1985. More recently, Monnat said Tiller had asked federal prosecutors to step up investigations of vandalism and other threats against the clinic out of fear that the incidents were increasing and that Tiller's safety was in jeopardy.
In early May, Tiller had asked the FBI to investigate vandalism at his clinic, including cut wires to surveillance cameras and damage to the roof that sent rainwater pouring into the building.
Anti-abortion groups denounced the shooting and stressed that they support only nonviolent protest. The movement's leaders fear the killing could create a backlash just as they are scrutinizing U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, whose views on abortion rights are not publicly known.
"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Troy Newman, Operation Rescue's president, said in a statement. "Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning."
In 1991, the Summer of Mercy protests organized by Operation Rescue drew thousands of anti-abortion activists to this city for demonstrations marked by civil disobedience and mass arrests.
Tiller began providing abortion services in 1973. He acknowledged abortion was as socially divisive as slavery or prohibition but said the issue was about giving women a choice when dealing with technology that can diagnose severe fetal abnormalities before a baby is born.
After the 1991 protests, Tiller kept mostly to his heavily guarded clinic, although in 1997 he opened it to three tours by state lawmakers and the media.
Tiller remained prominent in the news, in part because of an investigation started begun by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, an abortion opponent.
Prosecutors had alleged that Tiller had gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires. A jury in March acquitted Tiller of all 19 misdemeanor counts.
"I am stunned by this lawless and violent act, which must be condemned and should be met with the full force of law," Kline said in a written statement. "We join in lifting prayer that God's grace and presence rest with Dr. Tiller's family and friends."
Abortion opponents also questioned then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' ties to Tiller before the Senate confirmed her this year as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. Tiller donated thousands of dollars to Sebelius over the years.
That a human being was murdered, regardless of his history, is a sinful and reprehensible act, that the act was committed in a house of worship makes it the more so.
These kind of circumstances sometimes cause people who loathed the victim, and that for which he stood, to lose perspective, see his death as justice, and see the perpetrator as heroic.
A caution - such postings are utterly unacceptable on a forum that proclaims itself as espousing and promoting Christian values and will not be tolerated.
May God have mercy on his soul.
Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
That a human being was murdered, regardless of his history, is a sinful and reprehensible act, that the act was committed in a house of worship makes it the more so.
These kind of circumstances sometimes cause people who loathed the victim, and that for which he stood, to lose perspective, see his death as justice, and see the perpetrator as heroic.
A caution - such postings are utterly unacceptable on a forum that proclaims itself as espousing and promoting Christian values and will not be tolerated.
May God have mercy on his soul.
Neil
Huh? I thought was newsworthy and appropriate because it pertains to abortion, an issue we freqntly discuss here. What was inappropriate about it?
Nothing about your post. It is a preemptive warning by the administration to any poster that may want to read into this and post anything that is not acceptable. This does not reflect on your initial post.
In IC XC, Father Anthony+ Administrator
Everyone baptized into Christ should pass progressively through all the stages of Christ's own life, for in baptism he receives the power so to progress, and through the commandments he can discover and learn how to accomplish such progression. - Saint Gregory of Sinai
Nothing about your posting of the news item was inappropriate. My caution is directed at those who would take a triumphalistic view of this event - seeing it as "God's will" or "justice".
Many years,
Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
one thing that confuses some folks is the "smiley" that automatically appears on each post. i don't think there's a way to change it and when you post something serious or sad it looks like you're laughing about it. i remember being taken to task by folks about it before.
This is a VERY dangerous type of subject matter for a Christian forum, because of the danger it poses for the soul.
It may cause some people who read it to feel that justice was served and to lose sight that it was a crime and a sin of murder, in a house of worship, and infront of his family, no less..
It may cause others feel some sense of retribution because of how they judge him.
It may even cause others to be happy with the crime and the perpetrator--forgetting that this was cold blooded murder!
We are human and our logismoi (Eastern word concept for our sinful thoughts) are bound to run away, and when they do, our hearts will sin.
What this definitely will do is set back any understanding for us who are against late term abortion...
I join with Neil in asking God to be merciful on his soul. Judgement is His and His alone. His life was taken before he could contemplate any type of repentence. His family is grieving now-seeing a horrific and hateful act, losing their loved one. May God comfort them...
In addition to all of the fine concerns expressed thus far, let me add my angst that this murder will add to further attempts by the radical left to co-opt Holy Pentecost for their agenda and cause de jour..
In the 1980's there was the "Peace Pentecost" movement.
Earlier this decade, the rainbow stole/rainbow slash protestors, sometimes silent, sometimes not made their annual appearance at Pentecost.
Now the abortion-on-demand movement has a martyr. Will his annual commemoration co-opt the liturgical day of Pentecost; or the calendar date--which would be a bitter irony as May 31 is the Feast of the Visitation, the Gospel for which recounts John the Baptist leaping in his mother's womb at the presence of the few-day-conceived embroynic Christ.
one thing that confuses some folks is the "smiley" that automatically appears on each post. i don't think there's a way to change it and when you post something serious or sad it looks like you're laughing about it. i remember being taken to task by folks about it before.
Took me a bit to figure it out too. The smiley that appears by your name just means that you are online in the forum at that moment. If the face is closed it means you are not online in the forum at that time.
God have mercy on his soul and the soul of the person who shot him. Grant peace and rest to his wife, children, other family, and friends. Help people within the church to be free from the horror of this atrocity. God have mercy on us all.
The killing of an abortion doctor has once again highlighted the aggressive and emotional nature of the abortion debate in the US. Why does the issue elicit such a strong response compared to countries such as the UK?
There are about 800,000 abortions a year in the US It is perhaps a mark of the fervour that characterises the abortion debate in the US, that even President Barack Obama is not immune.
One of the few times he has faced an angry audience since taking power was during an appearance at Indiana's Notre Dame, one of the largest Catholic universities in the country.
He was heckled by anti-abortion activists over his decision earlier this year to lift restrictions on funding for abortion.
Indeed, heckling and protests over abortion are much more commonplace in the US than they are in the UK.
With hundreds of religious radio stations across the country, the anti-abortion movement enjoys a much higher profile than its equivalent on the other side of the Atlantic.
But as well as getting more attention, there is also more violence associated with the issue - as the shooting of Dr George Tiller demonstrates.
While many pro-life organisations have come out and condemned the killing on Sunday, the fact remains that violence and intimidation have remained a constant thread in the history of the modern-day movement.
Killings
According to data gathered by the National Abortion Federation, a pro-choice group, there had been at least nine killings in anti-abortion protests, 17 attempted murders and 400 death threats.
Bombings and arson attempts of abortion facilities also happen on a regular basis with cases often reaching double figures every year.
The most famous was probably the Christmas Day bombings which targeted three clinics in 1984 with the perpetrators dubbing them a "birthday gift for Jesus".
The abortion debate in the US has been gathering pace ever since a Supreme Court judgement in 1973.
The landmark Roe v Wade ruling decreed that most existing state abortion laws were unconstitutional and the termination of pregnancy should be made legal.
Since then there has been a gradual rowing back from that position - although laws do vary from state to state.
What is important to remember is that these acts of violence are not carried out by organisations but by lone individuals
John Smeaton, of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children Restrictions are now in place on everything from funding and insurance cover to a particular form of late-term abortion known as partial birth by its opponents.
Partial birth refers to abortions over 20 weeks which require the dead foetus to be delivered vaginally.
This is now relatively rare with only a handful of clinics, including Dr Tiller's, willing to carry out such procedures.
In total, only about 2,000 of the 800,000 abortions carried out in the US each year are classed as partial birth.
One of the obvious differences between anti-abortion movements in the US and the UK is the level of involvement of religious groups.
With half the US population regular church-goers, everything from sexual abstinence and euthanasia campaigns to the abortion debate has been dominated by religious groups.
Gun crime
Dr Joe Cassidy, an expert in medical ethics at Durham University, believes this has played a role in the violence that has been seen.
"The debate in the US has been couched in the terms of defending the defenceless. That gives some people a feeling that violence is therefore justified.
"That sort of debate has never taken off in the UK. There is a feeling that it should be left to the government.
"But in the US there is a fundamentalist religious fringe which believe it is their duty to take matters into their own hands."
Dr Cassidy also said there was a marked difference in what opponents were trying to achieve. "In the US there is a will to ban abortion that is not present in the UK.
"Here the campaigners have been focusing on introducing more restrictions, which would be seen as selling out in the US."
But campaigners in the UK do not believe these differences really account for the violence that has attached itself to the US movement.
John Smeaton, national director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, who has condemned the killing of Dr Tiller, said: "I think it is more to do with the levels of gun crime in the US.
"Guns are more readily available so by the law of averages people providing abortions are going to be caught up.
"What is important to remember is that these acts of violence are not carried out by organisations but by lone individuals.
"I know many of the leaders of these organisations in the US and I know they share the same values as we do in the UK.
"Killings go against everything we stand for - the right to life."
The world will hate us whether or not this can be blamed in any way upon the Church or not. I think we must keep on speaking the truth and doing what we can to convince this sorry world that it isn't nice to kill babies or anyone else.
I must be one of the few who have never heard of this guy. Unfortunately, something like this does cause many to paint pro-life folks as "violent." The pro-lifers I know are some of the world's most gentle people.
I think the act itself was almost as despicable as the terrible, inhuman crimes this man committed against the innocent unborn. I do not rejoice in the death of a sinner, but rather pray that God has mercy on his soul, on the soul of the very disturbed man who was his killer, on the Tiller family and friends and on all those involved in the abortion industry that profits off of the blood of the innocent.
Such violent acts as these only serve to destroy not only the particular lives of its victims, but also the worthy cause of defending all human life - from womb to tomb.
To take a person's life in the act of murder, without giving them the chance of a natural death to reflect upon their sins in old age is doubly evil...
The murderer will have the chance to reflect and repent, but he has taken that opportunity away from another.
This is where our passions can get so carried away and can make people commit horrendous acts thinking that they are doing good. Ofcourse, the ease in which those who are 'passionate' can settle scores with handguns is another factor.
On the other hand, I believe that whether it is from murder, accident, illness or natural death, God has written the time which we shall all leave this earth. That is why we need to try to ready ourselves as much as possible...(I am saddened especially with the sudden death of teens and young adults who have often not had the chance to grow spiritually and change their lives and lifestyles)...
This is where our prayers for the salvation of our friends and family is so necessary, so that just maybe they will not be taken suddenly without repentence.
Just some random thoughts...
Lord have mercy on all in these crazy and confused times.
This is where our prayers for the salvation of our friends and family is so necessary, so that just maybe they will not be taken suddenly without repentence.
ALICE:
We used to say a little prayer at the end of our prayers in the Latin Church that went like this:
"From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord."
Before I continue I will simply state I do not condone this man's actions. That said, I can see how some, especially those suffering from mental illness (which seems to be the case in many of these instances) could come to the conclusion that this was a necessary action in defense of life.
If one saw a man heading into a hospital nursery armed and declaring his intent to murder the newborns and shot him, he would be hailed as a hero.
Christians state there is no difference between those newborns and the unborns Mr. Tiller was murdering. So some will naturally ask the question why should the defense of the unborn be any less than what would be heralded for the newborn.
Of course the answer, for the right thinking mind, is we live in a nation of laws. For civilized society to function we must obey them, often when we disagree with them.
Some will say, but God's law trumps man's law. To this I would simply cite the behavior of the early Church. The Roman Empire allowed many practices of which the Church did not approve. Slavery, gladiatorial games, execution of Christians, etc. Yet we do not find the Church leading uprisings to free slaves, end the games, or even save themselves or their fellow Christians. Life was not taken, only given and that only in order to avoid denial of Christ.
What is most unfortunate about this incident is that it will be used as further propaganda to paint all pro-lifers as hateful extremists.
A random thought, I do not condone the act, but Dr. Tiller did have prior incidents of violent acts against him and did not change his ways, and it happened in a reformed Lutheran Church that appeared to have no problem with his profession...
A random thought, I do not condone the act, but Dr. Tiller did have prior incidents of violent acts against him and did not change his ways, and it happened in a reformed Lutheran Church that appeared to have no problem with his profession...
This surprised me, too. I didn't realize that the Lutheran church was so tolerant of abortion. The local Lutherans in my area are not so liberal on this issue.
You wrote: "What is most unfortunate about this incident is that it will be used as further propaganda to paint all pro-lifers as hateful extremists."
Probably, but does that make any difference? The world hates us because we love Christ. If not this then something else. The enemies of Christ will always find ways to attack the Church. Rejoice when persecuted. There's nothing really unfortunate about us. We aren't even supposed to be trying to gain the friendship of the world.
You wrote: "What is most unfortunate about this incident is that it will be used as further propaganda to paint all pro-lifers as hateful extremists."
Probably, but does that make any difference? The world hates us because we love Christ. If not this then something else. The enemies of Christ will always find ways to attack the Church. Rejoice when persecuted. There's nothing really unfortunate about us. We aren't even supposed to be trying to gain the friendship of the world.
Yes, it makes a huge difference because it gives ammunition to those who would distort and cheapen our witness of Jesus Christ. It allows those who hold views that are evil to present us as the violent and evil ones.
It is certainly true that the world will always hate us because we love Christ. But do not adopt the mentality of looking for persecution. Our goal is always and must always be to convert the world to Christ. Never rejoice in what is wrong, such as the murder of this abortionist. What he did - murder by abortion - was wrong. But murdering him was also wrong.
I am approving this post but with great reservation. I do so only bcause it shows the diversity of responses to Dr. Tiller's murder.
Let us remember that--as other Moderators have pointed out--we have no right to play God, play Judge, or to take a human life regardless of the way we feel about the actions of another. While we may judge Dr. Tiller's actions to be morally reprehensible, that does not justify anyone taking the man's life. Nor can we pretend to judge his motivations--only the Lord Himself can search hearts.
As followers of Christ, we have only one model, that of Christ from the Cross--"Father, forgive them. They know not what they do."
Oh God, be merciful to those who hate us and maltreat us, and cause not one of them to be lost because of us, sinners.
BOB Moderator
A warning: this and like threads will be closed if any uncharitable postings are added that seem to imply for any reason that this man's murder is acceptable.
To take a person's life in the act of murder, without giving them the chance of a natural death to reflect upon their sins in old age is doubly evil...
The murderer will have the chance to reflect and repent, but he has taken that opportunity away from another.
Differently than I would have put it, but yes. Thank you; another way to put it.
I struggled with this issue for a long time myself. How can stopping someone who will kill several people next week *not* be justified?
Prior to this, I did a trial pro bono for Operation Rescue because, even though I disagreed with their methods, I couldn't find a better answer, and that if it had been any other cause (Whales, South Africa, etc.) attorneys would have lined up to represent them.
Ultimately, it came to this: aborting the abortionist is the same crime that he is committing.
Now, if killing a particular abortionist would actually *end* abortion once and for all, you're back into the killing young Hitler with foreknowledge of his evil question--but that is *not* the case with any given abortionist in the U.S.
And on further reflection to Alice's comment: giving him the chance to repent is important--but if not giving him that prevents several of his murders? I'm not quite sure . . .
sidenote: for the Rescue that I represented, four babies were born by the choice of their mother as a direct result.
I post the following link of an article that appeared in the New York Times as followup with minimal comment. This article discusses the aftermath of Dr. Tiller's death which has left Operation Rescue and other groups of the same ilk in Wichita without a cause to protest in the city. It's headline says it all: "Closed Clinic Leaves Abortion Protesters at a Loss."
"Ultimately, it came to this: aborting the abortionist is the same crime that he is committing."
This is true, although certainly not the same scope of "villainy" as perpetrated by the abortionist.
One additional thought: consider Dr. Bernard Nathanson. He was once a poster child for the pro-abortion movement, responsible for the deaths of a multitude.
He is now a Catholic, pro-life advocate. Suppose he had been gunned down at the synagogue that he attended? There are many roads to Damascus out there. We do not know if the seed of doubt had entered Dr. Tiller's mind that Sunday morning. Perhaps he had resolved to end his hand in the slaughter of the innocent unborn, before he himself was killed at church? It is, of course, doubtful, but no one will ever know...
I am quite comfortable with what I have said in this particular case (since my statements are referring to this specific incidence). As one who has stood and prayed in front of his clinic, as someone who has prayed for its end for several decades, even he deserved a chance for metanoia, and if my statements regarding an unnecessary premeditated murder are out of line, perhaps the Gospel also then can "render you morally impotent".
Tiller's assasin was not a soldier under orders to defend his family and country.
"Tiller's assasin was not a soldier under orders to defend his family and country. "
True. There are other instances when it is proper to take another life, though such instances are always sinful in that they mar the image and likeness of the Father, which is in all men. However, there are times when it is necessary, but the circumstances can only be considered in their proper context, and not in the abstract or absolute.
I tend to sympathize with Diak's argument, though I would not make a universal claim about what is or is not a mortal sin in the case of self defense. I hope that I am not put into that position, and if I am I will seek greater counsel than my own imperfect conscience.
To take a person's life in the act of murder, without giving them the chance of a natural death to reflect upon their sins in old age is doubly evil...
The murderer will have the chance to reflect and repent, but he has taken that opportunity away from another.
Differently than I would have put it, but yes. Thank you; another way to put it.
I struggled with this issue for a long time myself. How can stopping someone who will kill several people next week *not* be justified?
Prior to this, I did a trial pro bono for Operation Rescue because, even though I disagreed with their methods, I couldn't find a better answer, and that if it had been any other cause (Whales, South Africa, etc.) attorneys would have lined up to represent them.
Ultimately, it came to this: aborting the abortionist is the same crime that he is committing.
Now, if killing a particular abortionist would actually *end* abortion once and for all, you're back into the killing young Hitler with foreknowledge of his evil question--but that is *not* the case with any given abortionist in the U.S.
And on further reflection to Alice's comment: giving him the chance to repent is important--but if not giving him that prevents several of his murders? I'm not quite sure . . .
sidenote: for the Rescue that I represented, four babies were born by the choice of their mother as a direct result.
hawk
I too have mixed emotions on this event. I admit that I have not shed a single tear at the loss of this mans life, although, I do not condone the action. This was such a big news item for the media about how horrible this event was, but how many headlines complained about all the little innocent babies Tiller murdered? The hypocrisy is frighteningly evident.
I Would have rather seen George Tiller lose his livelihood (perhaps a loss of a Hand) rather than his life, and as uncharitable as that sounds, somehow seems it would have been fitting. After all, I am sure George Tiller being a Lutheran must have heard the Gospel passage from Matthew 26:52 "...for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword," thus the abortionist was aborted.
"Operation Rescue was just 2 months away from getting Tiller's medical license revoked and that would have accomplished the same goal."
By Kathleen Gilbert
WICHITA, Kansas, June 9, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a statement released today, the attorneys of late-term abortionist George Tiller confirmed that his Wichita abortion facility would shut its doors permanently, following Tiller's murder last month.
"The family of Dr. George Tiller announces that effective immediately, Women's Health Care Services, Inc., will be permanently closed," stated attorneys Lee Thompson and Dan Monnat today. "Notice is being given today to all concerned that the Tiller family is ceasing operation of the clinic and any involvement by family members in any other similar clinic."
The statement went on to praise Tiller's "service and courage" and asserted that Tiller's family would honor his memory through "private charitable activities."
The attorneys also emphasized that the medical records of Tiller's former patients would "remain as fiercely protected now and in the future as they were during Dr. Tiller's lifetime."
George Tiller, who was perhaps the most notorious late-term abortionist in the United States, was shot and killed May 31 at the Lutheran church he regularly attended. Hours later, Scott Roeder of Kansas City was apprehended and charged with the first-degree murder of the abortionist.
Over 60,000 unborn children are believed to have been killed in the Wichita facility at Tiller's hands since he began his operations there in 1975.
"It is a bittersweet moment," wrote Operation Rescue president Troy Newman in an email about the closure of the abortion centre. "Operation Rescue was just 2 months away from getting Tiller's medical license revoked and that would have accomplished the same goal."
Operation Rescue, which moved its headquarters to Wichita in 2002 to focus its resources on shutting down Tiller’s sordid business, was the leading source of peaceful resistance against the abortionist's burgeoning business for several years.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Kansas Late-Term Abortionist George Tiller Shot and Killed - Pro-Life Groups React
Abortionist Tiller Admits to Performing Abortions the Day Before Delivery
What is also disturbing to me was that he was a faithful member in good standing with a mainline denomination that purports to call itself "Christian".
Quote
one might say the guy who shot Tiller actually understood the situation quite well.
I am not as convinced about his "understanding" since within the state it is well known that the process to revoke Tiller's license has gone into overdrive with the departure of the Governor who was essentially his last line of administrative defense, who has no successor, and likely facing Brownback as the next governor.
But if one upholds the view that all human life is sacred from conception forward, what is to stop people like the guy who shot Tiller from committing the same crime against pharmacists and doctors who prescribe abortafacient contraceptives, which includes the pill and its secondary effect of making the surface of the womb hostile to implantation? THe only difference between that and Tiller's procedures is a matter of months and weeks. The result - a dead child - is still the same.
The question goes to ends and means. As Gertrude Himmelfarb once wrote in an essay of the same name, "No Hitler, No Holocaust". No Tiller, no later term abortions, at least not in Iowa. The phenomenon was so closely associated with one man (Tiller, indeed, was monomaniacal in his fixation on late term abortion), that he was the driving force behind its continuation. Very few other doctors perform the procedure; most won't be associated with it. With Tiller gone, the wind goes out of that sail. Indeed, if I were in the abortion rights movement, I would be greatly relieved, since Tillerism lacked even the pretense of moral justification (the babies he aborted were viable outside the womb, and the abortion procedure was no less dangerous--and in many case more dangerous, than delivering the baby alive) that it was becoming a real embarrassment to the movement. Now he's gone, his clinic is gone, and I doubt anyone will take his place.
In the other instances you mention, it is doubtful that one, several or even dozens of killings would stop anything, but it would create a backlash against the anti-abortion movement. Were the pro-abortionists as diabolical as their support for abortion makes them, they would actually do some of that them selves, as agents provocateurs. But they aren't like that. They're just your run of the mill, Hannah Arendt "banality of evil" types.
The bottom line, when we sin, and a sin become 'habitual' it deadens the soul. The mind and body justify it to the soul, telling it everything is OK - sort of an I'm OK, You're OK mentality. With his doing over 60k abortions - his heart and soul must have only functioned without feeling, and he had no idea. That is just my thought anyway.
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