Kansas abortion doctor shot to death at church

By Carey Gillam

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A Kansas doctor reviled by anti-abortion groups for his work providing "late-term" abortions was shot and killed in his Wichita, Kansas, church on Sunday, and police said they captured the man responsible.

Police said they planned to charge a 51-year-old man on Monday with homicide and two counts of aggravated assault in the death of 67-year-old George Tiller, who died from a single gunshot.

Tiller was shot while serving as an usher for Sunday services in the foyer at Reformation Lutheran Church. The shooter threatened two other men at the church who tried to intervene, police said.

"We feel that this is an act of an isolated individual, however our investigation continues," said Wichita deputy police chief Tom Stolz.

Stolz said they were investigating whether the shooter had any ties to anti-abortion groups.

President Barack Obama expressed shock and outrage, saying in a statement, "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said federal law enforcement officials would work with local authorities in investigating the crime. He directed federal agents "to offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation."

The killing comes as the Obama administration is seeking confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court of Sonia Sotomayor, whom many anti-abortion groups have vowed to oppose for her perceived support of the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the United States.