2002 Tragedy
At about 8:40 am, on the morning of June 10, 2002, a 71-year-old man identified as Lloyd Robert Jeffress of Kearney, Missouri went through the basilica into the monastery, killing Brother Damian Larson, 62, and Father Philip Schuster, 84, and wounding Father Kenneth Reichert, 68, and Father Norbert Schappler, 75. Jeffress carried into the basilica two boxes—one containing a MAC-90 rifle (a Chinese-made replica of the AK-47) and a stripped down .22 caliber rifle. Having made the circuit of the monastery hallways, Mr. Jeffress returned to the basilica where he shot and killed himself. Fr Philip and Bro Damian were buried in the abbey cemetery following the Mass of Christian Burial celebrated on June 14, at which 1200 relatives and friends of the abbey were present. No motive has ever been determined for the shooting.
A 2008 documentary was produced by St. Louis filmmaker Jay Kanzler. The film, which was shown at the 2008 St. Louis International Film Festival, discussed the way of life in the monastery, and the 2002 shooting.
Read more about this topic: Conception Abbey
Famous quotes containing the word tragedy:
“The English masses are lovable: they are kind, decent, tolerant, practical and not stupid. The tragedy is that there are too many of them, and that they are aimless, having outgrown the servile functions for which they were encouraged to multiply. One day these huge crowds will have to seize power because there will be nothing else for them to do, and yet they neither demand power nor are ready to make use of it; they will learn only to be bored in a new way.”
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