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Father of groom shares first-hand account of New Hampshire church shooting

Father of groom shares first-hand account of New Hampshire church shooting
MATT: TONIGHT, WE ARE HEARING FROM THE GROOM’S FATHER. >> HE TURNED AROUND AND JUST BOOM, BOOM, AND THEN TURNED AROUND AND AIMED AT MY SON AND HIS FUTURE WIFE. MATT: ANGELO CASTIGLIONE WATCHED IN TERROR, AS A GUNMAN ENTERED NEW ENGLAND PENTECOSTAL MINISTRIES SATURDAY AND STARTED FIRING DURING HIS SON MARK CASTIGLIONE’S WEDDING. HE SHUT THE BRIDE 60-YEAR-OLD , CLAIRE MCMULLEN, AND 75-YEAR-OLD BISHOP STANLEY CHOATE. >> IT WAS A TERRIBLE THING TO WATCH. MATT: ANGELO TELLS OUR SISTER STATION WMUR THAT WEDDING ATTENDEES TACKLED THE GUNMAN, TO PREVENT HIM FROM FIRING AGAIN. >> WRESTLING DOWN AND ROLLING DOWN THE STAIRS AND HE WAS ON TOP OF THEM AND HAVE THE GUN OUT OF HIS HAND. MATT: NEW HAMPSHIRE AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ALLEGED SHOOTER AS 37-YEAR-OLD DALE HOLLOWAY, WHO IS THE STEPSON OF PASTOR LUIS GARCIA WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED EARLIER THIS MONTH. OFFICIALS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAVE CHARGED 24-YEAR-OLD BRANDON CASTIGLIONE, THE GROOM’S SON, WITH THE MURDER OF PASTOR LUIS GARCIA. BISHOP CHOATE WAS THE MOST SERIOUSLY INJURED IN YESTERDAY’S SHOOTING. WHILE HE CONTINUES TO BE TREATED AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER, AROUND 30 MEMBERS OF CHOATE’S CONGREGATION ATTENDED SUNDAY SERVICES IN LOWELL. >> THEY ARE HANDLING IT MUCH BETTER THAN YESTERDAY. TODAY THEY ARE AT PEACE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS NOT A HATE CRIME. IT’S A VERY PERSONAL INCIDENT, IT’S AN ISOLATED SITUATION. MATT: PARISHIONERS LEANING ON THEIR FAITH DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME, AS POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE SHOOTING THAT INJURED A BRIDE AND A BISHOP. GOD IS IN CONTROL
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Father of groom shares first-hand account of New Hampshire church shooting
The father of the groom whose wedding at a New Hampshire church was interrupted by gunfire is sharing his first-hand account of the event.Angelo Castiglione watched in terror as a gunman walked into New England Pentecostal Ministries on Saturday and started firing during his son Mark's wedding.His son's bride, 60-year-old Claire McMullen, was shot in the arm, while 75-year-old Bishop Stanley Choate was shot in the upper chest."The bishop turned around and he just (fired) and then he turned around and aimed at my son and his future wife," Castiglione said. "It was a terrible thing to watch."Castiglione told WMUR that wedding attendees tackled the gunman to prevent him from firing again."(They were) wrestling down and rolling down the stairs and rolled right in front of me," he said. "Then my son was on top of him and had the gun out of the guy's hand."The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said the suspected shooter, 37-year-old Dale Holloway, struck Mark Castiglione in the head with the gun during the struggle. Holloway is the stepson of Pastor Luis Garcia, who was shot and killed Oct. 1 in Londonderry. The groom's son, 24-year-old Brandon Castiglione, has been charged with Garcia's murder."The family relationships and the dynamics are something we're still looking into right now," said Senior Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Agati.McMullen is expected to be released from a hospital Sunday night, while Mark Castiglione has already been treated and released.Choate continues to be treated for serious injuries at Tufts Medical Center in Boston."He's showing signs that he wants to talk," said Raffoul Najem, the senior pastor at CCF Ministries in Lowell. "He's opening his eyes. He's moving his mouth." About 30 members of Choate's congregation attended Sunday services at CCF Ministries."Today, they are handling it much better than yesterday," Najem said Sunday. "Today, they are at peace and understand that this was not a hate crime. It's a very personal incident. It's an isolated situation.""(I'm coming to) get encouraged but (to also) be an encouragement to others that God has this all in control," said Yolanda Spearman, a member of Choate's congregation who made the trip to Lowell.On its website, New England Pentecostal Ministries said the church will remain closed through Oct. 20. The church is encouraging parishioners to attend services at CCF Ministries for the time being.

The father of the groom whose wedding at a New Hampshire church was interrupted by gunfire is sharing his first-hand account of the event.

Angelo Castiglione watched in terror as a gunman walked into New England Pentecostal Ministries on Saturday and started firing during his son Mark's wedding.

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His son's bride, 60-year-old Claire McMullen, was shot in the arm, while 75-year-old Bishop Stanley Choate was shot in the upper chest.

"The bishop turned around and he just (fired) and then he turned around and aimed at my son and his future wife," Castiglione said. "It was a terrible thing to watch."

Castiglione told WMUR that wedding attendees tackled the gunman to prevent him from firing again.

"(They were) wrestling down and rolling down the stairs and rolled right in front of me," he said. "Then my son was on top of him and had the gun out of the guy's hand."

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said the suspected shooter, 37-year-old Dale Holloway, struck Mark Castiglione in the head with the gun during the struggle.

Holloway is the stepson of Pastor Luis Garcia, who was shot and killed Oct. 1 in Londonderry. The groom's son, 24-year-old Brandon Castiglione, has been charged with Garcia's murder.

"The family relationships and the dynamics are something we're still looking into right now," said Senior Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Agati.

McMullen is expected to be released from a hospital Sunday night, while Mark Castiglione has already been treated and released.

Choate continues to be treated for serious injuries at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

"He's showing signs that he wants to talk," said Raffoul Najem, the senior pastor at CCF Ministries in Lowell. "He's opening his eyes. He's moving his mouth."

Bishop Stanley Choate
Bishop Stanley Choate of New England Pentecostal Ministries was shot during a wedding on Oct. 12, 2019.

About 30 members of Choate's congregation attended Sunday services at CCF Ministries.

"Today, they are handling it much better than yesterday," Najem said Sunday. "Today, they are at peace and understand that this was not a hate crime. It's a very personal incident. It's an isolated situation."

"(I'm coming to) get encouraged but (to also) be an encouragement to others that God has this all in control," said Yolanda Spearman, a member of Choate's congregation who made the trip to Lowell.

On its website, New England Pentecostal Ministries said the church will remain closed through Oct. 20. The church is encouraging parishioners to attend services at CCF Ministries for the time being.