Ellicott City Church Shooting Victims Were Pastor, Employee

Update 11:45 a.m.

Police Friday identified two of the victims in the as an Episcopal priest and a church employee. The identity of a man found dead in a nearby wooded area remained unknown. 

Police say Brenda Brewington, 59, of Ellicott City was found dead on the scene at Thursday night. She is listed as an administrator on the church's website.

Mary-Marguerite Kohn, 62, of Arbutus was found with a gunshot wound and taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where she was listed in critical condition Friday, according to police. Kohn is listed as the co-rector of the church on its website.

She is also listed as an affiliate faculty member at the Loyola Graduate School of pastoral counseling. Part of her studies involved researching the needs of survivors of clergy sexual abuse, according to the Sirdan Institute, a non-profit organization based in Brooklandville that helps people recover from traumatic events.

According to the church website, Kohn has a doctorate in pastoral counseling.

Police have not yet identified the man found dead in woods with a gun nearby.

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland is “saddened beyond words” in the aftermath of Thursday’s shooting, according to a statement on the diocese website.

“The diocese holds the victims, their families, and the people and staff of St. Peter's Church and pre-school in its continued prayers,” the statement said.

The Diocese Bishop, The Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, “immediately offered prayers for the victims in the chapel of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Baltimore, when he learned the news,” the statement said.

Clergy from diocesan staff, based in Baltimore, have been present with members of the St. Peter’s parish and staff, the press release said.  

Late Thursday, the , a nearby Episcopal church in Ellicott City, was a place for “support and prayer” for those mourning the tragedy, diocese officials said.

On the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Facebook Page, prayers for the victims poured in from ministers around the world.

As church leaders from Canada, Mexico, Houston, Washington, North Dakota, Maine, New Jersey, California, Texas and many others received word of the shooting, they offered their blessings, love and prayers to the community and the victims and their families.

“Prayers from the Diocese of Olympia in Western Washington,” wrote Rachel Taber-Hamilton, “may your diocese, the people of St. Peter's and the families of those affected know they are loved.”

A custodian found the two women in an office at St. Peter’s and called police at about 5:20 p.m. Thursday. When police arrived, they found Brewington dead and Kohn in what a police spokeswoman called “very critical condition.” 

After searching the church, police canvassed the area, looking for suspects. That's when they came across the body of a man with what police said appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police investigated the two incidents as related.

This story has been updated to include background information on one of the victims and diocese reaction.

With reporting by Patch editors Lisa Rossi and AJ Metcalf.

For more news updates, Follow Laurel Patch on Facebook and Twitter.