A man shot and killed his wife in a Jehovah’s Witness kingdom corridor in Thornton, Colorado, Thornton police said in a news release.
In the press posted on Twitter, Thornton, Colorado, police said the husband and wife were former members of the congregation.
Thornton police, in a news release posted on the department’s Facebook page, later met the suspect as Enoch Apodaca and said the victim was his wife, Melissa Apodaca. Police said the murder-suicide took place on Dec. 25, 2022.
Police later said in an updated news release that they discovered “three incendiary devices at the scene. “
The suspect killed himself after killing his wife, according to the police statement.
The deaths occurred on Christmas Day, which is believed to be related to “joy, circle of family and fun,” police wrote in their news release.
Here’s what you want to know:
– Kristian Lopez (@KlopezNews) December 25, 2022
“Thornton police are investigating a murder at Kingdom Hall, 951 Milky Way. Heavy police presence at the scene. There are no active threats. Updates here. . . ,” Thornton police wrote on Twitter on Christmas Day.
Police won the first call of a structural chimney around nine in the morning on Dec. 25, 2022, according to the police news release.
According to the most recent police press release, on December 25, 2022, at approximately 8:45 a. m. m. , Enoch Apodaca entered his office in the 5600 Logan Street block with “what appeared to be a bucket. “
According to the Denver Post, this building housed the IBEW Local building.
Police wrote in their news release that “a giant explosion was heard. “No one was injured, police wrote in the news release.
Soon after, Thornton officials were sent to the Kingdom Hall after receiving a report of a structural fire and gunfire, police media said.
– Thornton Police Department (@ThorntonPolice) December 25, 2022
According to the most recent police press release, Enoch Apodaca ordered Melissa to “back up a black Dodge pickup truck to construction right under a window” in the Kingdom Hall.
The police press release states that Apodaca broke a window with a hammer before hitting “what was later discovered to be 3 explosive devices in the Kingdom Hall building. “Enoch then approached Melissa, who had gotten out of the truck, and shot her in the back. of the head with a shotgun. Enoch then committed suicide with the same shotgun,” according to the police news release.
None of the explosive devices exploded, according to the police statement, but a fuse “nearly exploded before going out or malfunctioning,” according to the news release. He also tied him to a bucket, according to the police news release.
The police press release said that the Apodacas had been expelled from the congregation and that Enoch Apodaca had recently asked if he could return.
The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses of the Federal Congregation of the Heights is the site of the killing, according to the address provided by police in the press release.
Police later wrote on Twitter: “Still very early in the investigation. The Adams County Sheriff’s Department’s Hazardous Materials Unit is also on the scene. More main points as they become available. . . “
– Thornton Police Department (@ThorntonPolice) December 25, 2022
One imaginable active shooter was reported at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in #Thornton, #Colorado.
The suspect may have thrown a Molotov cocktail into the building, as well as other artifacts explosivos. pic. twitter. com/J4i9QvyP4E
– Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) December 25, 2022
The Adams County Fire Department stated early on that “this is a domestic incident, but it did not expand on it,” Denver 7 reported. The TV station later reported that rescuers first went to what they believe is a “structural fire,” but then found out a “domestic problem,” not a fire, when they arrived.
– Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowTV) December 25, 2022
The congregation meets weekly at 9:30 a. m. m. en the Kingdom Hall of Thornton, according to Denver 7.
Thornton, Colorado, is about 10 miles from Denver. According to Nine News, several law enforcement agencies responded to the scene of active shooter reports.
“Heavy police presence in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. @ThorntonPolice is told that this is a murder investigation and that there is no active threat. Working to be more informed @DenverChannel,” journalist Kristian Lopez wrote on Twitter, sharing a police video. reaction on the spot.
– Kristian Lopez (@KlopezNews) December 25, 2022
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