Bishop Sannar

I'm sure most of you have already heard this story, but for those of you who have not, here it is from the Fresno Bee. Let's remember his wife and kids in our prayers.

Clay Sannar, 42, a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Visalia, was fatally shot at a church at Tulare Avenue and Conyer Street on Sunday. Sannar was married, the father of six boys, and the owner of an agricultural services company in Visalia. - -

By Lewis Griswold and Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee
VISALIA -- The Modesto man accused of gunning down a church leader Sunday had a history of mental illness and often expressed hatred toward the Mormon church, court documents and interviews show.
Kenneth James Ward, 47, came to the attention of Modesto police several times from 1998 to 2004. On one occasion he threatened to kill a Mormon bishop, the city's police chief and police officers, according to court records.

Family members on Monday described those episodes as exceptions. Mike Ward, 44, of Bakersfield said his brother was "a lovable guy" who was not violent -- as long as he kept taking the medications that controlled his mental illness.

"He did not do this. My brother's mental illness did this," Mike Ward said. "We mourn for two families today."

But Kenneth Ward's anger with the church was well known. His father, George Ward, said his elder son was "definitely anti-Mormon, and yet he was raised in it. I don't understand how that happened."

Kenneth Ward was excommunicated from the church in the 1980s but later regained his church membership, Mike Ward said. He declined to provide more information. At the time, the family lived in a central Visalia neighborhood and attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Visalia Second Ward on Tulare Avenue. Kenneth Ward later moved to Modesto.

He joined the Army, serving in Operation Desert Storm, and then received an early discharge after he re-enlisted, his father said. Ward, who had worked as a crane operator, was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and went on disability, George Ward said.

His mother, Nancy, who is no longer living, reported to Modesto police in 2002 that her son was psychotic and was threatening to kill people, court documents show.

Court records also show that Kenneth Ward attempted suicide on one occasion and threatened to kill himself on another.

Even though Mike Ward said his brother sought to have his church membership reinstated, police records show he asked to be dropped from church membership in 2004. The records show he threatened to kill a Mormon bishop in Modesto, as well as the city's police chief -- also a Mormon -- and police officers when the bishop did not quickly carry out his wishes.

Kenneth Ward was arrested, pleaded no contest to a felony and was given probation.

Mike Ward said that when his brother went off his medications, he would go through "episodes," expressing anger toward the Mormon church.

Kenneth Ward had not suffered physical or sexual abuse or other incidents that might have explained the anger, his brother said.

Family members said Monday there was nothing to indicate that Kenneth Ward had homicide on his mind when he drove south from Modesto early Sunday.

Kenneth Ward left the home he shared with his father, his wife and their 6-year-old son, saying he was going fishing with a friend, George Ward said. But the friend told George Ward later that day he knew nothing about a fishing trip.

Kenneth Ward's destination was the church in Visalia that he had attended as a young man. Inside, he asked for the church's leader and entered the office of lay bishop Clay Sannar, a married father of six boys ages three months to 14 years.

Whether Ward intended to seek out Sannar, who was named the bishop of the Visalia Second Ward only four months ago, is a question that may never be answered.

Visalia Police Chief Colleen Mestas said there is no indication that the two knew each other.

Mestas said Sannar tried to prevent the shooter from harming anyone else. Sannar "yelled for everyone to get out of the building," she said Monday. "He really did act with heroism."

After shooting Sannar, Ward drove to a pay phone and called police to say he had shot the bishop and that they could find him in the nearby central Visalia neighborhood where his family had once lived.

When officers arrived, Ward stood in the intersection of Burrel Avenue and Divisadero Street and started shooting. He hit a police car before he was brought down by gunfire.

Monday, as Visalia police tried to piece together a motive, Mike Ward knocked on doors in the neighborhood where his brother was shot, apologizing to residents.

One woman said she tried to comfort Mike Ward on Monday.

Jovita Harrah's 2003 Chevrolet Silverado truck was among at least three neighborhood vehicles struck by bullets during the shootout between Kenneth Ward and police.

Harrah said Ward did not need to apologize for his brother's actions. "Like I told him, 'My truck can be fixed, but you can't get your brother back.' "

Church officials know that two families are grieving their losses from Sunday's shootings, said Ralph Jordan, a church spokesman and leader.

"We are doing all we can to support the Sannar family in their loss. We appreciate the interest and condolences of our local faith community," Jordan said Monday in an e-mail. "We know there must be broken hearts and great sadness in the family of the other man. Our hearts go out to them as well."