A 66-year-old man, Gary Hermesch, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Father Arul Carasala, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. Father Carasala was shot three times at St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church in Seneca on Thursday afternoon and later died at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital.
The motive for the shooting is still unclear, and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Nemaha Sheriff’s Office are continuing to investigate the incident. According to a parish employee, an older man approached Father Carasala and shot him three times.
Father Carasala had served as a pastor in the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, for over 20 years and was known for his devotion and zeal. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City described him as “a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our archdiocese for more than 20 years”.
The archbishop also expressed his condolences to Father Carasala’s parishioners, friends, and fellow priests, saying, “His love for Christ and his Church was evident in the generosity and affection with which he served his people. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will miss him deeply”.