THORNTON, Colo. — Thornton police say somebody threw three “pipe bomb-like” devices into a Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Thornton on Sunday amid a double shooting in which investigators believe a husband killed his wife and then himself.
Officer J. Walker said the Thornton Police Department is continuing to investigate the motive for the shooting, which left a husband and wife dead outside the Federal Heights Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall, located at 951 Milky Way near the intersection of Interstate 25 and W. 88th Avenue.
Walker said investigators believe that the husband and wife arrived at the Kingdom Hall together. It's not yet clear if this was a kidnapping situation or if the wife was there willingly, Walker said.
The shooter, the husband, shot his wife and then killed himself, police said.
The shooting happened outside of the building. They did not go inside.
Walker said three “pipe bomb-like” devices were thrown through the windows. It's not clear if the suspected shooter, or somebody else, threw the devices inside.
The incident Sunday morning began around 9 a.m., when Thornton police responded to a report of a fire at the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall.
At the scene, police found a deceased man and deceased woman, who were later identified as the married couple.
Both were former members of the congregation, police said. They have not been publicly identified by the coroner's office as of Monday afternoon.
Police added that they had found the "three incendiary devices" at the scene, police said. They were rendered safe later in the day.
In the aftermath, the Sherrelwood Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses responded to the shootings, saying it was shocked and deeply saddened.
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who have been traumatized by the heinous actions that took the life of an innocent victim and threatened the lives of many others," the statement reads."