The December 7 Colorado Matthew Murray Shooting

The following is a letter sent out regarding the Colorado shootings in a church and YWAM December 7, 2007. You can read more about it here. The Murray family also met with the victims family. They say he heard voices in his head, which we all do once we realize that Thought is the Voice of the Spirit Realm. That's how the spirit world influences our actions. For someone mentally destroyed by the trap of music like that of Marilyn Manson, ideas are planted and cultivated by the influence of demons allowed in through these kinds of mediums. Watch They Sold Their Souls For Rock N' Roll to understand better.

Matthew 24:10-12
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

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From: Susan Haglund [mailto:suhagl@jews4jesus.org]
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 10:01 AM
Subject: YWAM update and praise report

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday evening we got to talk to both Johanna and Bethany and will try and give you an update and some of the facts you haven't heard if you have been following the news. Also God is working in a mighty way and answering prayers. I am going to try and put this in chronological order.

Last Friday and Sat. both campuses Eagle Rock and Arvada were preparing for outreach and their quarterly 'love feast' done at the end of each school. Spirits were high. Bethany described last Sat. as a 'perfect day' up at Eagle Rock in every way. Down at Arvada Matthew Murray ( the shooter) was seen hanging around and some of the students talked to him outside on the grounds, ( YWAM campus runs into a city park) Friday morning for worship, Peter Warren, the base director felt led of the Lord to change his sermon to a talk on the end times, and how it was going to get tougher to share the gospel, and that more people may have to give up even their lives for the message. He encouraged the kids to deepen their commitment to Christ and the message before they went out on outreach.

Sat. the love feasts and activiites went on. During the day Matthew Murray was seen around and kids talked to him. Matthew had been a student 5 years ago, The YWAM Denver elders and his parents met and decided that he shouldn't go on outreach at that time. Much prayer was invested in this decision as it always is when a student is dismissed or not allowed on outreach. He had woken others up in his room talking to the voices in his head, he was known to see things, really quiet but a wierdo. He also was obsessed with Marilyn Manson etc. [Watch They Sold Their Souls For Rock N' Roll] So he was probably 'schizophrenic and bi-polar' by his symptoms. Also, the media reported that the hate mail and other documents were submitted to the court. They found 'hate mail' addressed to Peter Warren in his possession after it was all over. However, he NEVER ACTUALLY SENT any HATE MAIL to YWAM Denver. They had not received anything from him in the 5 years since he had been dismissed.

After the love feast at Arvada, the kids were milling around and some were cleaning up etc before bed time. A bunch of kids had run outside to blow off steam. Matthey M. came to the side dormitory entrance and was stopped there by students. He asked for housing, so the kids went to get Tiffany who is head of hospitality. She then came to the door with Dan her boyfriend. YWAMers were talking to him in the hallway for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, the holler went out for students to go to their rooms and get ready for bed etc. So people were coming in the doorways and halls etc. and through the discussion going on with Matthew but all the students left the conversation. Along the way staff meembers Phil and Charlie had joined in the conversation. When Tiffany told him that he could not spend the night, that all their beds were filled, he got angry and pulled the gun out and shot Tiffany 7 times, Phil in the arm, Dan in the neck, and Charlie twice, once in each leg. He then fled on foot. The shots sent other running to the hall to see what was going on. Police and ambulance were called. All four were concious and talking in the hallway before the ambulance arrived. Tiffany and Dan were holding hands and praying. Dan was the one everyone thought was most critically injured. Ambulance arrived, and they were off. Tiffany chatted in the ambulance all the way there and testified to the ambulance crew about God being with her, and how she was ready for heaven, etc. Really impressed the ambulance crew.

At the hospital when they went to operate, Tiffany and Phil had both been bleeding out internally and died on the table. Charlies was simple and straight forward, they removed the bullets in his legs. Yesterday he was released and joined the group up at Eagle Rock, walking into the room on his own power, with no crutches or wheel chair. Dan was critical, the bullet fragmented in his neck, they took the big piece out immediately and then thought they would wait for him to stabilize before they finished removing the pieces. That day was to be yesterday. Dan really came around yesterday and immediately asked for Tiffany, and he was told the news and devastated, then he fell asleep, when he woke up again, he asked again and that was repeated. So some short term memory issues going on. Anyway, because each time he asked the news was a fresh blow, his blood pressure kept spiking. So no surgery. They are going to try again today. He is expected to recover. Dan's family descended on the hospital to camp out and stay. They are praying for everyone and have had a huge positive impact on the hospital staff. They have never seen folks quite like this.

Meanwhile, when the police arrived, they wanted everyone to evacuate the building and took all of them to the police station for statements. Unfortunately, when the kids were told to make an emergency evacuation the girls upstairs came down the back stairs into the crime scene because that is there posted emergency evacuation route. The staff that were shot were still lying on the floor and the blood etc. so they saw it all. At the police station, the kids got in circles and started praying and praying for Matthew that he would be found and get help his family etc. as well as for their staff members. This Profoundly affected the Arvada police with their calmness and love during the tragedy. Fox news local as tried to spin that YWAM is a cult group, and the Arvada police have been their strongest allies, saying that they are not a cult and more of the world should be like the YWAMers. The Arvada police have now given, ( an officer's fund) their entire fund for grief counselling etc. to YWAM Denver for the kids.

The Eagle rock kids had been awoken immediately after the shooting and taken into the dining room to pray. The police came up to guard them immediately. Actually as the word went out to the YWAM family schools across the world, stopped and began to intercede for them. Many US YWAM bases got their kids out of bed to to start praying. The YWAM family is incredible.

It was decided that the Arvada kids would be taken up to Eagle Rock afterwards, because it would be out of the way and a place that could be guarded. YWAM called the Denver city mission, where they often volunteer, and asked for help with cots and blankets, because the kids had been evacuated in PJ's etc. many without coats etc. So the city mission swung into action and called others in the city and the donations began to pour in. Cots, blankets, sleeping bags and food. Trucks pulled up from grocery stores with food. Eagle rock has been given enough can kids for the entire next quarters school. And enough Honey nut cheerios for a year. Also neighbors and churches started cooking and bringing food. YWAM now is sorting stuff, of what to keep and what to give away to whom of their excess blessings. God is good. Bethany worked most of yesterday helping with the sorting and cleaning up process. Johanna manned the phones yesterday at Eagle Rock and took more than 400 phone messages.

So many are calling, students wanting to come, churches and people who are praying and want to donate, non-Christians in Denver who have heard good things and want to know about them and the ever present hounding media wanting interviews.

The students and staff. Staff is taking it all harder because they have been 'family' longer. Eagle Rock kids are doing better than Arvada, because they didn't know the victims as well. The worship and prayer times have been incredible. report both girls God is speaking and working. The Students were unanimous that they all want to go on outreach as planned. They are more focused than ever. So all the groups are leaving on schedule. Bethany will be leaving for Thailand on Monday. We will be seeing her during her 2 hour layover at SFO. God is with them and the kids are really pulling themselves together and coping better than anyone could ever expect. All students were given permission to leave and go home or to not go on outreach if they didn't think they could. Only 3 have taken that option and they were students that have had other issues going along all quarter with health or family problems. Pray for Veronica, Bethanys' best friend who has decided not to go on outreach, she had a traumatic family event the week-end before and was still in shock, and the shootings pushed her over the edge she thought. All 5 outreach teams will really need the extra prayers, They will be in Thailand, Chile, two Mexico teams, and Brazil over the next 7 weeks.

Yesterday afternoon, the Aravada students went back and moved back into their building and dorm. They put everyone in the hallway and prayed over the spot where it happend and re-dedicated their building to the Lord and his service. Johanna said it was a bit creepy but the praying over it and prayer walking the building etc. really helped a lot.

God had spared them. Matthew's intent was (they are almost sure of and in what he had written in journals etc) was that we wanted to 'make friends again' and get lodging in the dorm at YWAM Denver. Then during the night when everyone was asleep he was going to go through the building and shoot everyone while sleeping. Thus the 3 guns and the 1000 rounds of ammo. Praise the Lord that he was stopped and detained in the hallway and only 4 were shot.

No one know where he went or what he did during the 12 hours between the shootings. But it is speculated that since his plan to massacre YWAM Denver didn't work, he went to YWAM Colorado springs to massacre them. The mailing address for YWAM Colorado Springs is the New Life church. Ironically, though he was shooting at random into cars and vans, the two teens killed at New Life had both been apart of Mission Adventures at the YWAM base there. One had done an outreach mission trip. The lady security guard that killed him truly is a hero as she saved 100's of lives at the church. He had 1000 rounds of ammo with him. Her statement to the press and on Larry King live is a great testimony to the Lord's presence and help.

The delay in the positive identity of Matthew in Colorado Springs is that he had made an attempt to booby trap his body, so it made things more difficult.

At Tiffany's church in MN on Sunday morning, the pastor spoke and he said that it was all the Lord's words speaking through him, and two accepted Christ and some others in the church are applying to YWAM Denver to come and take her place. God is working.

This afternoon is the memorial service being held at Faith Chapel in Arvada. ( next door to the YWAM base) This is a mega church and they expect it to be packed. YWAMers are coming from all over the world to honor fallen comrades. All of YWAM staff and former staff off campus have guests on their floor. Johanna and roomates had two already and were expecting more. It is YWAM tradition to travel with your sleeping bag but always to receive hospitality from the local base. God certainly has provided the food and the cots and blankets for this need too. Hmmmmm . .. . Pray for the service today and that many would accept Christ and that others would consecrate their lives. Johanna said last night that everyone who knew Tiffany can see her jumping up and down and clapping her hands and squealing with delight in Heaven as people come to know Christ because of her death. That is an extremely comforting image and takes away the sting of her death.

All the leadership agrees and have felt from the LORD, that this all is spiritual warfare and has much to do with the MTV 'Jesus freak' filming starting in January, Which is going ahead as planned. They are marching into the enemies territory and Satan is ticked off.. They are praying in great expectation as to what God will do through this reality show. Many more will now tune in after the tragedy as well. Tiffany and Phil are truly martyrs for Christ and the message. We just aren't accustomed to martyrs in the US, we may just have to get used to it.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and support for all of us. You have been great. We are all doing well!!! Thanks again!

Blessings to all of you.

Susie Haglund

Church Relations

(800) 366-5521 x152 M-F 7:30-4:00 PT

suhagl@jews4jesus.org

www.jewsforjesus.org

Please feel free to send this on to anyone who has been praying for YWAM Denver.