Catholic priest is stabbed to death in the parsonage of his church in Nebraska: Police find suspect in the building after cleric called 911 at 5 a.m. to report the burglary
- Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, was stabbed during an invasion of the parsonage of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
- Gutgsell was taken to a hospital in Omaha, where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said
A Catholic priest in a small Nebraska community died Sunday after being attacked with a knife in a rectory, authorities said.
The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, was stabbed during an invasion of the parsonage of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a statement.
Gutgsell was taken to a hospital in Omaha, where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said.
Fort Calhoun, with a population of about 1,000, is located about 20 miles north of Omaha.
The Rev. Stephen Gutgsell, 65, was taken to a hospital in Omaha, where he died from his stab wounds, church officials said
Gutgsell, 65, was stabbed during an invasion of the parsonage of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, the Archdiocese of Omaha said in a Sunday statement
The suspect is a black man. Authorities took him into custody, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement
Gutgsell, 65, called 911 around 5 a.m., telling police someone was trying to break into the parsonage.
Police found Gutgsell injured and an alleged assailant inside.
The suspect is a black man. Authorities took him into custody, Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said in a statement.
Robinson said: “This is an ongoing investigation and the suspect’s name or manner of death will not be released.
Police found Gutgsell injured in the church and the alleged attacker was also inside
Mike Fitzgerald, a parishioner at St. John the Baptist, said the church’s regular 8:30 a.m. service had been canceled. He told Omaha World Herald: “Father Gutgsell has been here for 11 years and I thought he was a very holy man.”
‘He’s not from the area. As far as we know, he’s not from Fort Calhoun or even Nebraska.”
The statement from the local church said: “The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and there are no further details at this time.
“Join Archbishop George Lucas in prayer for the repose of Father Gutgsell, for his family and for the St. John the Baptist parish community at this tragic time.”
Mike Fitzgerald, a parishioner at St. John the Baptist, said the church’s regular 8:30 a.m. service had been canceled. He told the Omaha World Herald: “Father Gutgsell has been here for 11 years and I thought he was a very holy man.
“He has done a lot for the community. He always made sure that the (church) bulletin contained everything we needed to know about what was happening in the church.’