Vestavia Hills church shooting

The Vestavia Hills church shooting occurred on June 16, 2022 at 6:22 p.m. local time in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. A man entered the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and opened fire during a potluck meeting, which the church had previously advertised. Two people were killed at the scene, a third died later in hospital, and the suspect is subsequently in custody. The suspect was a 70 year old Birmingham man named Robert Findlay Smith (born December 23, 1951), a gun dealer. On May 2, 2023, Smith pled guilty in the shooting and was sentenced to life without parole.

Victims

 * Sarah Yeager, 75
 * Walter Rainey, 84
 * Jane Pounds, 84, initially reported injured, died at a local hospital. Her family requested that her name be withheld, but it was made public by the press.

Reactions
Following the shooting, Alabama governor Kay Ivey issued a statement saying that the shooting is "shocking and tragic," adding that "this should never happen — in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere."

During a Sunday morning service on June 19, 2022, the church gathered to honor the members who were shot and killed during the shooting.