A Kansas priest was gunned down early Thursday at his parish rectory in Seneca, police said.
Fr. Arul Carasala was reportedly shot three times by an “older man” and died of his injuries at a local hospital.
A suspect is in custody. Police did not disclose a motive but said there was no threat to the community.
Archbishop Joseph Naumann mourned the loss of a “beloved priest, leader, and friend” to a “senseless act of violence” in a Facebook post.
Carasala, an Indian native, had been a pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church since 2011, the same year he became a U.S. citizen.
“Fr. Carasala was a devoted and zealous pastor who faithfully served our Archiocese for over twenty years, including as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall region,” the archbishop said.
“His love for Christ and His Church was evident in how he ministered to his people with great generosity and care. His parishioners, friends, and brother priests will deeply miss him.”
