Gunman kills two in Denver Christian training centre

A gunman walked into a dormitory for young Christian missionaries in the US early today and opened fire, killing two people and wounding two others.

The gunman was still missing late today.

The shooting happened just after midnight at the Youth With a Mission centre in Arvada, a suburb of Denver in Colorado, police spokeswoman Susan Medina said. About 45 people were evacuated from the dormitory.

Ms Medina said a man and a woman in their mid-20s died, and two men ages 22 and 23 were wounded.

Paul Filidis, a spokesman with Youth With a Mission, said all four of the victims were staff members. One of the injured men was in critical condition, he said.

Witnesses told police that the gunman was a 20-year-old white male, wearing a dark jacket and skull cap. He may have glasses or a beard.

“There’s no blueprint for this, we’re just going to be honest and pray for one another, cry with one another,” centre director Peter Warren said. “Who knows what was going on in this young man’s life.”

Police with several dogs searched the area through the night, and residents of nearby homes were notified to be on the lookout. Medina said residents were asked to look and see if the snow had been disturbed during the night.

“Why would anybody want to hurt those kids?” said Mimi Martin, who lives near the centre. “I just pray for their families.”

Darv Smith, director of a Youth With a Mission centre in Boulder, said people ranging from their late teens to their 70s undergo a 12-week discipleship course that prepares them to be missionaries.

He said the centre trains about 300 people a year.