The alleged Colorado Springs shooter is a registered member of the Mormon church, a spokesman has confirmed.
Anderson Aldrich, 22, was arrested on suspicion of hate crimes and the first-degree murder of five people at the LGBTQ venue Club Q on Saturday night.
In a statement to Fox13, a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spokesman said the alleged shooter was on its membership roll but “had not been active in some time”.
“The senseless act of violence in Colorado Springs is of great sadness and concern to us,” the spokesman said in a statement to the Salt Lake City-based news site. “We are greatly troubled by any violence in our communities and condemn most especially violent acts that are the result of intolerance against any of God’s children.”
The spokesman said it was “problematic” to disparage an entire faith based on the actions of a person who “did not exhibit signs of believing or associating with members of the Church”.
The church had formally opposed same-sex marriage and gender identity until as recently as April, when the second highest-ranking leader Dallin H. Oaks reaffirmed the church’s stance.
Then last week, the Church announced it would back proposed federal legislation to safeguard same-sex marriages.
Mr Aldrich was born Nicholas Brink and changed his name just before his 16th birthday, according to a review of birth documents by the Washington Post.
His mother Laura Voepel also appeared to be a member of the Mormon Church, and belonged to several social media church groups in Colorado Springs.
