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More charges filed against Pelham church shooter

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Clockwise from top left, Bishop Stanley Choate, shooting suspect Dale Holloway, Pastor Luis Garcia, who was fatally shot last week, allegedly by Brandon Castiglione, 24, the son of the groom.

PELHAM - An attempted murder charge was among four new charges added to the list of offenses allegedly committed by a man said to have opened fire at a wedding ceremony inside a Pelham church on Saturday.

The four new charges filed against Dale Halloway, 37, include attempted murder, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, second degree assault and simple assault for striking the groom in the head with a firearm.

These four new offenses, as well as the original first degree assault charge for knowingly causing bodily injury by means of a deadly weapon by shooting Bishop Stanley Choate, 75, of Pelham in the chest, are all still anticipated to be scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Hillsborough County Superior Court, Southern District in Nashua.

There are no additional updates regarding the condition of Choate. Claire McMullen, the bride, who was shot in the arm, was anticipated to be released from a local hospital on Sunday.

The violence erupted on Saturday morning when police say Halloway, 37, walked into the New England Pentecostal Church around 10:10 a.m. and opened fire, shooting the bishop in the chest and the bride in the arm.

Within moments, nearby officers were on scene and immediately entered the church where they found Choate severely injured with a gunshot wound to the upper chest. Officers also discovered a number of parishioners holding Holloway down on the ground.

Two other parishioners suffered injuries. McMullen, 60, with a gunshot wound to the arm and the groom, Mark Castiglione, 60, who was struck in the head.

Holloway is being held without bail while awaiting a Tuesday arraignment.

The shooting does not appear to be random, say police, who are investigating whether the incident may be linked to a shooting last week in which one of the church's ordained ministers, Luis Garcia, was killed. The suspect in Saturday's shooting is Garcia's stepson, and Castiglione's son is charged in Garcia's death, according to reports.

"Family relationships and dynamics are something we're still looking into right now," Senior Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Agati said.

Garcia's funeral was scheduled to follow the wedding ceremony.

The New Hampshire State Police and Pelham Police Department are continuing to investigate this crime. Preliminary investigation of the matter indicates that this incident does not appear to be a random event. Anyone with information is encouraged the Sergeant Kelly Healey at the New Hampshire State Police Major Crime Unit at the following phone number: 603-MCU-TIPS (603-628-8477).

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