Brother Arrested After Pastor Killed at Church

A pastor in Dayton, Ohio, was shot dead Sunday and police say it was the man's younger brother who pulled the trigger. Officers responding to a 911 call arrested Daniel Schooler, 68, in connection with the slaying of 70-year-old William Schooler, WHIO reports. The shooting occurred toward the end of a church service as the choir was singing, witnesses tell WDTN, though William Schooler was in a private office at St. Peter's Missionary Baptist Church when he was shot about 12:30pm, according to police. "That’s when we started running," a church member recalls. "It was awful, just awful." Police are calling the shooting a "domestic situation," saying in a statement, "This was not a random act of violence."

There were about 20 congregants in the church at the time and no other injuries were reported. A niece to the brothers tells WDTN, "It's a tragedy. I love my uncles and it saddens me.” Another niece calls William Schooler "a great father, great provider, great protector." Daniel Schooler is expected to be in court on Monday afternoon. He has a history of violence, according to reports, including convictions in 2001 and 2002 for assault with a deadly weapon. Community leaders plan to host a meeting to discuss solutions to the problem of gun violence in March. "It has become obvious that the current regulations and enforcement of the regulations pertaining to gun violence are not sufficient," a statement says. (More Dayton, Ohio stories.)