Church Shooting Victim Kicked Out Of Service

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A man who suffered minor injuries in the fatal shootings at New Life Church was escorted off church grounds by police on Sunday because New Life officials thought he was "volatile" and might be disruptive.

Afterward, the leader of the church said that the congregation's trials of the past couple of years were nothing more than tests.

"Last weekend was a test ... but we are passing the test," said the Rev. Brady Boyd, New Life Church senior pastor, on a bright, sunny day when snow-capped Pikes Peak could be seen from the church grounds.

Another test came a year ago, Boyd said, when founder the Rev. Ted Haggard was dismissed after a former male escort claimed Haggard paid him over three years for sex. Haggard publicly admitted committing unspecified "sexual immorality."

"This is not what this church will be known for," Boyd said.

"Our heart is to be a church that gives to people," he said. "We are a group that cares for people, any person."

The Dec. 9 shooting left two teenage sisters dead and their father and two others wounded. The gunman also died in the incident.

At Sunday's service members of a mostly smiling crowd who sang, clapped and waved as they watched the stage or several large-screen televisions simulcasting the service above them. Some cried. Dozens accepted a call to come to the front if they needed help to deal with the pain.

"All it has done is strengthen us," Boyd said at the service, attended by at least 4,000 members.

Reacting to the shooting and the service, Josh Caldwell, 17, said, "It's definitely been really rough. But seeing the church continue to grow is an incredible experience. And seeing God move among us."

Boyd said the church's struggles could be compared to those faced by early Christians.

"In times like this our theology is simple. ... We believe in Christ," he said.

Photographs of victims Stephanie Works, 18, and her sister Rachael, 16, were featured on the the printed program for services Sunday.

The two were killed when gunman Matthew Murray, armed with an assault rifle, a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun and a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, opened fire in the parking lot as a service was letting out.

A volunteer security guard shot and wounded Murray, 24, before Murray shot himself. Twelve hours earlier and about 65 miles away, police said, Murray killed two staff members of the Youth With a Mission missionary training center in Arvada and wounded two others.

A funeral was held Saturday in Minnesota for one of the Arvada victims, 26-year-old Tiffany Johnson. A memorial service was held earlier in the week in Colorado.

A private service was held Friday in Denver for Murray. A service will be held for the Works sisters Wednesday at New Life.

Wounded Church Member Removed After Incident

One of the victims of last weekend's shooting, Larry Bourbonnais, was escorted off church property Sunday, at the request of church representatives.

Church officials told 7NEWS they were concerned over Bourbonnais' behavior and as a result, asked him to leave.

Bourbonnais yelled, "I took a bullet for members of this church," as he was escorted out of the church by security guards.

Boyd said the church has asked for a restraining order against Bourbonnais after trying all week to meet with him.

"We felt he was a bit volatile this morning and we did not want any disruptions in our service," said senior Pastor Brady Boyd. "If we feel that someone is going to be disruptive or volatile, especially today, we did not want any disruptions or volatility."

According to a Colorado Springs police blotter, officers escorted Bourbannais off the property before the start of the second service of the day.

Bourbannais cooperated and left peacefully with officers, police said.

Bourbonnais told KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs that New Life officials were unhappy over his criticism of another security guard whom Bourbonnais said would not confront the gunman.

"They said I denigrated the security staff and made them look bad," Bourbonnais said.