The bodies of the alleged gunman and the two women he killed in front of a church in Iowa on Thursday were identified by the authorities, who provided news about the possible perpetrator of the crimes.
Story County Sheriff’s Office officials identified Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, aged 33, as the suspected killer of Eden Matiah Montang, aged 24 and Vivian Renee Flores, aged 21, in the parking lot of Cornestone Church in Ames late Thursday night. The shooter shot himself after committing the crimes, the Des Moines Register noted.
Authorities said Whitlatch, who allegedly killed the two women, who were studying at Iowa State University, had recently been accused of harassing one of the victims in an incident described by the police as a “domestic situation”.
Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald noted that the shooting was an attack directed by Whitlatch, and that he and Montang had a relationship that recently ended, adding that he was at the crime scene for a “specific purpose,” which he served.
A statement signed by Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen and other university officials , noted that Montang was a senior in the College of Human Sciences, while Flores was a third-year student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
On Thursday night, the victims were in the church with a third woman, a friend of both who was not injured after the shooting.
Approximately 6: 51 Thursday pm, the authorities des received multiple calls about the shooting. Officers arrived at the church five minutes later, Fitzgerald said.
At 6: 51, police confirmed the shooter apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, added Fitzgerald, who said the weapon at the scene was a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol.
“Everything that has been presented to me at this time indicates that he is a lone individual, and we do not suspect that others will be charged in the future , but all of this will be answered as we complete the investigation,” Fitzgerald added. church that might have more information on the relationship between Whitlatch and Montang.
“There are a lot of things that we still need to complete to get a full understanding of what happened and why what,” Fitzgerald said.
With information from the Des Moines Register
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