Two die in church shooting, man charged

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 27 (UPI) -- Two people were shot and killed Sunday when a man opened fire on the congregation at a Tennessee church, officials said.

Police have charged Jim D. Adkisson, 58, of Powell, Tenn. with first-degree murder. Adkisson was being held on a $1 million bond at the Knox County Detention Facility, the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel said.

Greg McKendry was killed when he stood between the gunman and other potential victims at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, the newspaper said.

"Greg McKendry stood in the front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of us," witness Barbara Kemper said.

Later in the day, Linda Kraeger, 61, died of gunshot wounds. She attended Westside Unitarian Universalist Church in Farragut and was at the Tennessee Valley church to watch a children's performance of an adaptation of "Annie the Musical," part of the congregation's summer theater workshop.

Knoxville's WVLT-TV said the gunman may have been restrained by members of the congregation following the shooting.

Knoxville Police Chief Sterling P. Owen IV said Adkisson was accused of shooting eight people with a 12-gauge shotgun, the Sentinel reported.