Elderly church members gunned down after exiting Youngstown worship services

by Chad D. Baus

The Associated Press is reporting that a Youngstown church community haunted by the parking-lot shooting death of an 80-year-old member in January is now mourning the killing of another elderly parishioner minutes after leaving church.

From the article:

Someone fired up to a dozen shots at Thomas Repchic, 75, as he drove from church Saturday with his 74-year-old wife, who was wounded but expected to recover. The couple had just left St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, where Jacqueline Repchic works in the office on Saturdays.

No arrests have been made in the ambush-style killing, but detectives believe the couple may have been victims of mistaken identity, Youngstown Capt. Rod Foley said. Investigators do not believe the shooting was entirely random, Foley said.

"We're working on a theory that it was misidentification," Foley said. "Common sense is going to tell you, why would you want to target a 75- and 74-year-old lady?"

Authorities had an alert out Monday for a suspected getaway car, an older red Dodge Durango.

...In January, a gunman killed Angeline Fimognari in the church parking lot after Mass. A 19-year-old has been charged in her death.

...The Repchic attack occurred as he drove his Cadillac home in the early afternoon, and Tarpley wonders if the car was mistaken for someone else's. Six to 12 gunshots were fired.

In Ohio, if a church member with a concealed handgun license brings their firearm to church as a means of protection against such an attack, unless the church permits otherwise, the law calls for her to be arrested and charged with a felony of the fourth degree, and a conviction would earn her up to $5000 in fines and 18 months in prison.

How did it get this bad in the Buckeye State, where, once upon a time, state law encouraged citizens to bear arms at church services? How many lives have to be taken before the "pro-gun" majority controlling the General Assembly do anything about it?

(Painting by George Henry Boughton (1833-1905), entitled "Pilgrims Going To Church" - note all the guns they're taking with them)

Back then, Ohio law recognized that church-goers had the right to defend themselves from predators (both the four- and two-legged kind) on their way to and from worship services. As such, churches were not legislated as victim zones, but rather the law gave citizens incentive not only to attend church, but to do so while armed.

ACT NOW: Ask the leaders in your place of worship if you and fellow CHL-holders can be a part of a "security guard ministry". And tell your legislators that places of worship shouldn't be treated differently in the law than any other private property in the state of Ohio. Finally, please join me in praying that these decision-makers act to allow the flock their right to self-protection before the next wolf comes out of the woods.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.

Related Story:
Ohio's ban on defending lives in places of worship: How did it get this bad?