ST. LOUIS COUNTY – The community is mourning after a woman was shot and killed inside Catholic Supply while she was shopping Monday afternoon.
Jamie Schmidt, 53, was the mother of three and married to her high school sweetheart. Gregg Schmidt, her husband, shared this message below on Facebook
‘Folks, I had my own Mother of Dragons but she was taken from us today. I still don't know how to feel yet. I do know one thing for sure. Hug your friends and family and tell them you love them every time you get the chance. I didn't get to say goodbye and that hurts pretty bad. She was my angel, my partner, my best friend and the love of my life. I'm sorry if you never got to hear her sing recently because it gave me chills. I probably won't be on Facebook much for awhile but know that I love you all in some way or another.’
Schmidt met her husband at North West High in House Springs, Missouri. They later married and raised three children together. Her sister-in-law, Cathy Soulon, described Schmidt as a soft-spoken, modest, faithful Christian, and very kind person.
"You couldn't meet a nicer person and she would be a friend to everybody," said Cathy Soulon. "She was just good all the way through. You don't meet people like that every day. And I don't think she ever had an enemy."
Parishioners filled St. Anthony of Padua church in High Ridge at a special Mass to honor Jaimie Tuesday night. Schmidt attended the church for more than three decades.
She sang in the choir and helped paint some of the gospel symbols on the church.
Schmidt was also an administrator at St. Louis Community College in Wildwood.A man walked inside Catholic Supply in west St. Louis County on Monday and shot and killed Schmidt. He also sexually assaulted two other women inside the store. Anyone with information should contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak to investigators.
A person of interest was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Imperial. Police did not release the man's name--stressing that he is only a person of interest at this time--but said he is 53 years old.
"There are no words, are there? There are no words," Soulon said. "It was the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all you can boil it down to. Because who would think that you could go to a Catholic store and then be killed. Who could even fathom that? You would think that would be one of the safest places to go to."
The victim's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses. They also released the following written statement:
On the afternoon of November 19th 2018 Jamie Schmidt’s life was taken in a senseless and random act of violence. Jamie was an amazing wife and a mother of three.
Jamie was a talented artist and singer and often used her talents for her church, St. Anthony’s in High Ridge, MO. She and her husband Gregg met at Northwest High School in the early eighties and were married in 1990. Jamie had recently taken a job at St Louis Community college in Wildwood working in administration.
Our family is heartbroken as we try to accept and understand this terrible tragedy. We ask for prayers for peace and that the killer is caught before he hurts anyone else.
People have been showing their support by placing flowers and bringing cards to Catholic Supply.
Saint Anthony of Padua High Ridge will hold a Mass at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Monday statement from Archdiocese of St. Louis
Statement from Archdiocese of St. Louis
Archbishop Carlson has asked that all parishes pray in a special way for the victims of the Catholic Supply shooting at all Masses this weekend. Please consider including one or two petitions in the Universal Prayers at all Masses this weekend and remember them in your prayers. Following are two Universal Prayers which you are welcome to insert if you so choose, or please feel free to create your own.
As we begin celebrations for Thanksgiving may we keep the victims and their families in our prayers this weekend and ask the Lord to be with them during this difficult time.
Universal Prayers
For an end to all forms of violence in our city, state, nation, and world, we remember in a special way the victims and those impacted by the horrific tragedy at Catholic Supply on Monday, that all of us will work together to make Christ’s farewell gift of peace more of a reality in our world, let us pray to the Lord….
For our faithfully departed loved ones and for all those who have died, we pray for the repose of the soul of the woman killed in the Catholic Supply tragedy on Monday, that they will have the joy and happiness of seeing God face to face in the heavenly kingdom, let us pray to the Lord….”
Statement from Catholic Supply
“We are shocked and saddened by the events that occurred at our West County location Monday afternoon. This was a senseless tragedy. Please join us as we pray for the victims and their families.
The safety and security of our employees and customers is our highest priority. Our retail locations will be closed for business on Tuesday and will reopen on Wednesday.
We are cooperating fully with the ongoing police investigation, and we will share details as appropriate. We appreciate your patience, grace and prayers during this difficult time.”
Dan Stutte
President, Catholic Supply
