According to Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald, Eden Moriah Montang, 22, and Vivian Renee Flores, 21, were the two women slain in the incident. Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, was identified as the shooter by Fitzgerald. According to Fitzgerald, Whitlatch allegedly fired five shots from a 9mm handgun at Montang and Flores before turning the gun on himself. A third woman who had been with Montang and Flores was able to flee and was unharmed.
The incident occurred at the church’s Salt Company, a collegiate ministry program. It was the program’s first summer night at Cornerstone. At 6:51 p.m. on Thursday, officials claimed they received multiple 911 calls. Deputies arrived minutes after the incident and found all three victims with gunshot wounds. Emergency responders attempted to help at the site, but they were unable.
Sheriff's office adds that the man had a restraining order against him
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She and Flores were both Iowa State University students, according to Fitzgerald. She is listed as a senior in Human Development and Family Studies in the school directory. Flores was a sophomore majoring in Animal Science.
According to Fitzgerald, Whitlatch and Montang had previously been in a relationship; thus, the shooting constituted a domestic incident. He claimed Montang and Whitlatch had lately broken up.
Ames police accused Whitlatch of harassing and impersonating a public authority in a domestic disturbance on May 31. On June 10, he was supposed to appear in court to face the allegations. Montang had a restraining order against Whitlatch, according to Fitzgerald.
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