Bishop among injured in shooting at New Hampshire church.

Police: Attack does not appear to be random event

Pelham, N.H. — At least two people were injured in a shooting during a wedding in a church here, including its bishop, police said Saturday.

A shooter arrived at the New England Pentecostal Ministries church at approximately 10:12 a.m., the Pelham police department said in a statement. Guests at the wedding ceremony subdued the alleged attacker by the time law enforcement arrived, and the suspect was arrested.

There were no fatalities, the Pelham police said, and the two injured people were taken to nearby hospitals. One of the injured was Bishop Stanley Choate, according to friends and family.

“A coward walked into my family’s church today,” Neivia Choate, who identified herself as the bishop’s niece, wrote in a Facebook post, asking people to “get on your knees and pray for my family.”

The shooting “does not appear to be a random event,” police said in a statement.

The New England Pentecostal Ministries had already endured one tragedy, after one of its ordained ministers, Luis Garcia, was found shot to death inside his home last week. Brandon Castiglione, 24, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Garcia’s death, but waived an arraignment and is being held without bail according to state prosecutors.

A funeral for Garcia had been scheduled for later that day, the Union Leader reported, but mourners were turned away because of the shooting. Geraldo Pagan, who planned to attend the service, told NBC Boston that police had informed him “everything has been canceled.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan said in a tweet that she was “deeply disturbed” to hear of the shooting.

“Today was supposed to serve as a celebration of the life of Minister Luis Garcia,” she wrote, adding, “This senseless violence can’t continue.”

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu confirmed the shooting investigation and that law enforcement was on the scene.

A Domestic Abuse Month event was also scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to the church’s calendar.

Darius Mitchell, who told the New York Times his family knew Choate, said the bishop went to Lowell General Hospital for treatment. Hospital spokeswoman Angela Strunk confirmed to The Washington Post that at least one person injured in the Pelham incident received care there. She said the patient is being transferred to a hospital in Boston.

She did not have identifying details for the patient and could not provide the nature of the injuries.

The New Hampshire State Police’s major crime unit was on the scene, and the church remained surrounded by emergency personnel on Saturday, and some nearby roads remained closed by police.

Kiesel reported from Pelham. Knowles and Epstein reported from Washington.