Pro-Life Group Says Possible Tiller Shooter Scott Roeder Not Affiliated With It
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 1, 2009
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) — Kansas man Scott P. Roeder has been apprehended by authorities who suspect him of shooting late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller on Sunday. Roeder twice posted on the web site of Operation Rescue, a leading Tiller watchdog group, but the organization says he was never involved in it.
Roeder, who appears to harbor anti-government views and may have been involved with a militia group, was detained by officials Sunday afternoon hours after the shooting.
Although he appears to have no formal involvement with any legitimate pro-life organization, Roeder did post twice on the Operation Rescue web site concerning Tiller.
Today, OR officials tell LifeNews.com that he has never been an employee or volunteer for the group or involved with it in any other capacity.
"Scott Roeder has never been a member, contributor, or volunteer with Operation Rescue," Troy Newman, the group’s president, said. "Mr. Roeder may have posted to our open blog web site, as have thousands of members of the public, including those with pro-abortion views, but he is not affiliated with this organization."
"We deplore the criminal actions with which Mr. Roeder is accused," Newman continued.
"The pro-life ethic is to value all human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Operation Rescue has diligently and successfully worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see to it that abortionists around the nation are brought to justice. Without due process, there can be no justice," Newman explained.
"In spite of these horrific events, we remain dedicated to working through all peaceful and legal means available to bring an end to the killing of innocent children through abortion," he concluded.
As has been the case with most previous incidents of abortion-related violence, Roeder appears to have an affiliation with extremist political groups but not with the mainstream pro-life movement.
In 1996, officials in Kansas apparently stopped his vehicle for not having a valid license plate, which he altered as an act of anti-governmental protest. His license plate apparently had slogans such as "Private Property, Immunity Declared at Law, Non-Commercial American."
According to the Kansas City Star, the FBI suspected Roeder of having ties with the Montana Freemen, a militia group, which had had standoffs with authorities.
The Star indicates that, after he was apprehended on an interstate highway in the prior incident, a search of his vehicle resulted in obtaining bombmaking material, including gunpowder and two six-volt lantern batteries.
In his home, authorities found a two-page bombmaking instruction manual.
Roeder has spent time in prison, including a 16-month stint after violating the terms of his parole related to the license plate incident.
Roeder’s only ties to pro-life groups appear to be messages he left on the public forum at the Operation Rescue web site concerning Tiller.
In one, he wrote about monitoring Tiller’s church, which is where he allegedly ultimately had a confrontation with the abortion practitioner at Reformation Lutheran Church and killed him.
"Bleass (sic) everyone for attending and praying in May to bring justice to Tiller and the closing of his death camp," he wrote.
"Sometime soon, would it be feasible to organize as many people as possible to attend Tillers church (inside, not just outside) to have much more of a presence and possibly ask questions of the Pastor, Deacons, Elders and members while there? Doesn’t seem like it would hurt anything but bring more attention to Tiller," he said.
Another condemned Tiller saying he was like Hitler’s henchmen who engaged in genocide.
Roeder has applauded those very few people who support killing abortion practitioners and ran around in circles with the handful of people who believe in vigilante actions, but appears to have never been a member of any legitimate pro-life group that represents the majority of pro-life Americans.
Pro-life groups have quickly and genuinely condemned the Tiller shooting.
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
