Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Within hours of the Sunday murder of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, several leading pro-life groups genuinely and thoroughly condemned the killing. The reiterated the fact that, while they opposed the abortions Tiller did, they equally oppose the use of violence and death as a solution.

"We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down," Operation Rescue president Troy Newman told LifeNews.com.

"Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice," Newman added. "We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning."

"We pray for Mr. Tiller's family that they will find comfort and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ," Newman continued.

Kansans for Life, another pro-life group that relied only legal and political means of responding to Tiller's abortions, said it "deplored" the killing.

"Kansans for Life deplores the murder of Dr. George Tiller, and we wish to express our deep and sincere sympathy to his family and friends," KFL director Mary Kay Culp told LifeNews.com immediately after the shooting.

"Our organization has a board of directors, and a 35 year history of bringing citizens together to achieve thoughtful education and legislation on the life issues here in Kansas," she explained. "We value life, completely deplore violence, and are shocked and very upset by what happened in Wichita today."

Father Frank Pavone, the founder and director of Priests for Life, a very prominent pro-life Catholic group, urged the media and those involved in the abortion debate not to assign blame to the pro-life community that would never employ these kinds of tactics to oppose abortion.

“I am saddened to hear of the killing of George Tiller this morning," he told LifeNews.com.

"At this point, we do not know the motives of this act, or who is behind it, whether an angry post-abortive man or woman, or a misguided activist, or an enemy within the abortion industry, or a political enemy frustrated with the way Tiller has escaped prosecution. We should not jump to conclusions or rush to judgment," Pavone added.

“But whatever the motives, we at Priests for Life continue to insist on a culture in which violence is never seen as the solution to any problem. Every life has to be protected, without regard to their age or views or actions," he said.

Other pro-life advocates have also condemned the shooting in no uncertain terms, including pro-life activist Rev. Patrick Mahoney, members of the youth pro-life group Bound for Life, and others.

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