Gunman's Family "Overwhelmed by Act of Christian Love and Forgiveness" as Victims' Families Meet Privately with them in Colorado
Teresa Neumann, Breaking Christian News BCN, December 15, 2007

(Arvada, Colorado)—As the mainstream news moves on to other news stories, the news out of Colorado after last week's shooting continues to yield more amazing testimonies of forgiveness and reconciliation. The Rocky Mountain News reports that the families of YWAM shooting victims Philip Crouse and Tiffany Johnson met privately with Ron and Loretta Murray, the parents of the gunman, and with his uncle, Pastor Phil Abeyta. "Both families said, 'We forgive you. We don't hold you responsible,'" said Peter Warren, director of Youth With A Mission's Denver chapter, adding that as they looked one another in the eyes and held hands, Abeyta "broke down in tears. And they prayed for him."

"The entire Murray family is overwhelmed by this act of Christian love and forgiveness," said Abeyta. "Matthew's parents ... are humbled beyond words and deeply grateful to the families of God's children, Tiffany Johnson and Philip Crouse, for taking this extraordinary step to begin the process of healing and reconciliation. What an incredible example of the power of God's love."

Referring to the amazing life change Philip Crouse underwent before coming to YWAM, a report in the Denver Post noted that Crouse's uncle, John Steiner, said that before getting saved his nephew was "dark and brooding, hiding his insecurities behind a perpetual snarl," and that after becoming a Christian Crouse's transformation was "as complete as it was remarkable."

Source: Todd Hartman - Rocky Mountain News

The tragedy as it developed read here.