Letter: Tenn. Gunman Hated 'Liberals,' 'Gays'

A letter found in the vehicle of a gunman who killed two people at a Tennessee church yesterday indicated a deep hatred of liberals and gays, and frustration over unemployment, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The liberal Unitarian church claims involvement with social causes dating to the 1950s, and hosts a support group for friends and family of homosexuals.

The church also displays a “gays welcome” sign, and runs a café for gay and lesbian teens. Gunman Jim Adkisson’s letter also indicated he had planned the shooting for a week, though the church, and no specific person, was the target. The Knoxville police chief said Adkisson, a former soldier, “fully expected to be killed by the responding police.” (More Knoxville stories.)