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Kansas Catholic priest dies after being shot at his church's rectory, leaving parish in 'state of shock'

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Kansas Catholic priest dies after being shot at his church's rectory, leaving parish in 'state of shock'

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A Catholic priest died in Kansas after being shot at his church’s rectory in an incident a fellow pastor told Fox News Digital has left his community in a “state of shock.”

Gary Hermesch, 66, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon following the attack on Father Arul Carasala, 57, at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Hermesch was detained on suspicion of first-degree murder. 

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“We’re all just still in a state of shock. I mean, this is small-town America. And Father Arul was such a beloved pastor in Seneca, Kansas. He’s been a pastor there for over 13 years,” Father Brian Schieber, a Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, told Fox News Digital.

“A good shepherd knows his people by name, and Father Arul knew everybody. He, over these years, baptized so many people, did so many weddings, funerals, he was such a good confessor and present to people who were sick, had such pastoral wisdom, he is really beloved by everybody,” Schieber added.

EXPERTS REVEAL DETAILS ABOUT A 16TH-CENTURY CATHOLIC SAINT FOUND ‘PERFECTLY PRESERVED’ 

Father Arul Carasala, a pastor at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, Kan., was fatally shot on Thursday, April 3, 2025.  (AP/The Leaven)

Schieber described the shooting as a “senseless act of violence.”

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“We have no idea what the motive for this was. And, you know, we’re really praying for the person that killed Father Arul as well. And thank you all for your prayers,” he said.

Deputies from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Seneca Police Department responded to a 911 call “reporting shots fired at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory” around 3 p.m. local time Thursday, the KBI said. 

When they arrived, they discovered Carasala “outside the residence suffering from gunshot wounds,” it added.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann leads a mass on Thursday, April 3, at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca, following the death of Carasala. (Jay Soldner/The Leaven)

“Seneca EMS arrived and transported Father Carasala to the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. Despite life-saving measures, he died at the hospital from his injuries,” the KBI also said in a statement.  

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SUPREME COURT APPEARS LIKELY TO SIDE WITH CATHOLIC CHURCH AND TRUMP IN KEY RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION CASE 

A mass was held at Carasala’s church Thursday night in the wake of the shooting.

Gary Hermesch was taken into custody in connection to the shooting. (Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office)

“Father Arul was a friend to me and a great priest,” Archbishop Joseph Naumann wrote on Facebook Friday after leading the mass. “I shared in my homily that being a priest today requires heroic love. That quality was evident in Father Arul, who left India to come to the heartland of America and serve the people of the Catholic Church in northeast Kansas.” 

“While we continue to mourn the loss of Father Arul, I pray that we will not lose hope. God is with us in our adversity,” Naumann added. “He can bring good out of evil. He can bring life out of death. Let us draw closer to Jesus during this time of sorrow and ask him to console our hearts.” 

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Archbishop Joseph Naumann leads a mass at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Thursday night. (Jay Soldner/The Leaven)

Schieber told Fox News Digital that “we are a small archdiocese, so we have about 150 priests and we all know each other really well. 

“We’re like brothers to each other. And Father Arul was really helpful to me personally and will be dearly missed,” he said.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas said “Father Arul was a faithful priest who devoutly served our archdiocese for more than two decades.

Carasala was found Thursday afternoon suffering from gunshot wounds outside the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church rectory, officials said. (Jay Soldner/The Leaven)

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“Ordained in March 1994 in his home Diocese of Cuddapah, India, he ministered at Sts. Peter and Paul… and also served as dean of the Nemaha-Marshall deanery. His deep faith, pastoral care, and generous spirit touched the lives of so many,” it added. “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.” 

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North Dakota

Top prospect decommits from North Dakota, considering Michigan State

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Top prospect decommits from North Dakota, considering Michigan State


Recruiting never stops in the world of college hockey, and that trend has continued for Michigan State. A huge prospect has just re-opened his recruitment, and is back on the market, and the Spartans are in the thick of it.

Carson Pilgrim, a 5-foot-11 and 185 pound forward form Warroad (MN) has decommitted from North Dakota. The current Tri-City Storm star has the attention of many across the country, including MSU.

The Spartans have been listed alongside St. Cloud State and Colorado College as schools pursuing the top USHL prospect. He more than certainly will be donning a college sweater next year and Adam Nightingale wants it to be in the green and white.

Pilgrim has 16 goals and 19 assists in 42 games in the USHL this season.

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Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy





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Ohio

Two Ohio men arrested on drug charges in Raleigh County after traffic stop

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Two Ohio men arrested on drug charges in Raleigh County after traffic stop


Two Ohio men were arrested in Raleigh County after police said they found a large amount of drugs during a traffic stop.

Andy Gray Jr., 44, and Cornell Stevenson, 54, both of Cleveland, Ohio, were arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop just after 1:30 a.m. Friday in the 1900 block of Harper Road for allegedly speeding, according to a news release from the Beckley Police Department.

Based on observations during the traffic stop, officers deployed a K-9 around the exterior of the vehicle which alerted to the presence of narcotics.

During a search of Gray, Stevenson and the vehicle, officers said they found 445 grams of fentanyl, a small amount of cocaine and $3,500 in cash. Police said the fentanyl has a street value of about $90,000.

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Gray, the driver of the vehicle, was charged with obstructing an officer, conspiracy to commit a felony, fleeing on foot and possession with intent to deliver, according to jail records.

Stevenson was charged with possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy to commit a felony and possession of a controlled substance.

Both men are each being held on $75,000 bonds.



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South Dakota

South Dakota: GFP Commission modifies bounty program – focuses on youth trapping and coyote removal

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South Dakota: GFP Commission modifies bounty program – focuses on youth trapping and coyote removal


The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission passed a resolution to end the current Nest Predator Bounty Program at their March meeting in Pierre and create two separate programs within the existing budget and time period.The Nest Predator Bounty Program began in 2019 with the implementation of the Second Century Initiative. This reinvigorated trapping as an outdoor recreational opportunity and a means to get youth engaged and spend more time outdoors.

Data collected from the program shows that the level of youth participation over the past 4 years has exceeded 30%. In 2024 and 2025, youth participation reached 46%.”The Nest Predator Bounty Program has been incredibly successful at engaging youth in wildlife management and our tradition of trapping in South Dakota,” said Kevin Robling, GFP Secretary.

In total, 342,743 nest predators were removed since the program’s inception.”Intense nest predator removal in localized areas during the nesting season can contribute to higher nest success and we encourage individuals to continue to participate in this management activity,” continued Robling. “In 2026, we are going to focus on continuing to get youth outdoors and addressing our coyote population.”



As part of this focus, the current Nest Predator Bounty Program is ending. The allocated $500,000 for this program will be split into two separate programs: the Youth Trapping Recruitment Program and the Coyote Bounty Program.

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Youth Trapping Recruitment Program 



The Youth Trapping Recruitment Program will be open for South Dakota youth age 17 and under. Tails from raccoon, striped skunk, badger, opossum, and red fox will be worth $10.The program will run from March 1-July 1, unless the $200,000 limit is reached first.”Youth recruitment and retention in trapping and wildlife management is a key component of this program,” said Robling. “We are thrilled with the amount of youth participation we have seen, so we want to continue this momentum.”

Coyote Bounty Program

The Coyote Bounty Program will be open for all South Dakota residents. Tails from coyotes will be worth $30.The program will run from April 1-July 1, unless the $300,000 limit is reached first.”Controlling the coyote population is critical for both our agricultural industry and wildlife populations,” stated Robling. “The newly created Coyote Bounty Program will assist in the management of these predators to help protect newborn calves and lambs for agricultural producers and enhance fawn survival for deer and antelope.”

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Tail Submission Opportunities 

Individuals wishing to participate in either of these programs may submit tails to their local GFP office during designated tail turn in opportunities. Households are eligible to submit up to $590 worth of tails in each program.

–South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks





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