Kyle Odom, the man suspected of shooting Pastor Tim Remington after the churchman spoke at a Ted Cruz rally, has been arrested in Washington DC, according to authorities.
Odom, 30, was arrested after he “threw unknown material over the south fence line at the White House complex”, said a secret service statement quoted by the Washington Post. CNN also cited the secret service as confirming Odom’s arrest.
Detective Jared Reneau of Coeur d’Alene police confirmed Odom was in custody on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile Remington had regained consciousness and was talking with his family, an associate said on Tuesday.
Odom, a former marine from Coeur d’Alene, is suspected of shooting Remington a day after the pastor led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Cruz, a Republican presidential candidate.
Authorities said there was no indication Remington’s appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting, which took place outside his church in broad daylight.
“However it does appear that this was a pre-planned attack,” Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White said on Monday. “And I will tell you that some details surrounding Mr Odom’s planning are disturbing.”
He did not elaborate.
Several news outlets in Spokane received letters on Tuesday that purported to be from Odom, Detective Reneau said. The letters, postmarked Monday, contained a sheet of paper that read “The Truth About Kyle Odom” but had nothing else written on them, Reneau said.
“We are trying to confirm their authenticity,” Reneau said.
Remington, 55, regained consciousness on Monday night in a Coeur d’Alene hospital, said John Padula, outreach pastor for the Altar Church where Remington is the senior pastor.
“He’s whispering and talking to his family a little bit,” Padula said on Tuesday. “He’s doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb’s up last night when I went in.”
Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said.
Remington and his wife have been with the Altar Church for nearly two decades, and specialised in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The church has extensive programs, including in-patient rehabilitation, for addicts, Padula said.
Padula was a meth addict for 17 years before going through the church’s program seven years ago, he said.
Police said Odom drove to the Spokane, Washington, area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail.
Odom had no connection with the church before showing up before services early on Sunday morning, Padula said.
The Coeur d’Alene police department issued a warrant of attempted first-degree murder for Odom, who was described as having no criminal record but a history of mental illness.
White said Odom was armed when he attended services in the church earlier on Sunday and the violence could have been much worse.
Odom served in the Marines from 2006 to 2010, receiving the Iraq campaign medal and other awards. He rose to the rank of corporal.
Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry.
With the Associated Press