Supporters rally in wake of abortion doctor's killing

Erin Rogers didn’t know much about Dr. George Tiller before his death.

She knew who he was — one of the nation’s few providers of late-term abortions. She knew what he believed in — a woman’s right to choose.

Tiller was just a man to Rogers, just a man doing what he believed was right.

But that didn’t stop Rogers, an Ottawa resident, from attending Tiller’s vigil service Sunday night in Lawrence, didn’t stop her from paying respect to the man who was shot and killed in his Wichita church Sunday.

“In my mind, killing someone for this reason is just backing up hate for other things,” Rogers said. “It’s just another way to spread more prejudice.”

Rogers, a self-proclaimed pro-choice proponent, said she went to the vigil because “hate will only spread more hate.”

Tragic shooting

Although Stolz refused to release the man’s name, Johnson County sheriff’s spokesman Tom Erickson identified the detained man as Scott Roeder, Merriam. He has not been charged in the slaying and was expected to be taken to Wichita for questioning.

Court records and Internet postings show that someone using the name Scott Roeder has a criminal past and has expressed anti-abortion opinions on sympathetic Web sites.

Long a focus of national anti-abortion groups, including a summer-long protest in 1991, Tiller was shot in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church. Tiller’s attorney, Dan Monnat, said Tiller’s wife, Jeanne, was in the choir at the time.

Gathered to remember

She didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know what would take place.

But it wasn’t the more than 200 people who showed up to the vigil that surprised her. It was the demographics, the ages of the people who stood beside her on the lawn of South Park to remember Tiller.

“There were quite a few older people,” Humm said. “Probably more than half of the people were 50 or older.”

Humm said age didn’t matter though, neither did gender or race. Each of the people in attendance heard stories about Tiller, and many felt touched by his cause, by his determination.

“I am a very strong believer that you should stand up for what you think is right,” Humm said. “Even if someone doesn’t agree with what he was doing, he definitely stood up for what he thought was right.”

Humm said it was this belief, this unwavering view that cost Tiller his life.

“He definitely put his life on the line to do what he thought was right,” she said. “Obviously, that cost him.”

Shocked and appalled

“My first reaction was shock,” Mast said. “I feel so bad for his family.”

Mast, who has volunteered at the LifeCare Center For Women, 225 S. Walnut St., said no one deserves to be murdered.

“All the pro-life people I know are not in favor of shooting people,” Mast said. “It’s just not a reason to shoot him.”

Sen. Pat Apple, R-Louisburg, would agree with Mast’s logic.

While Apple is a pro-life advocate, he, too, thinks violence is never an option.

“Vigilante acts such as this have no place in our society,” Apple said.

Apple said his prayers are with Tiller’s family and church as they mourn and begin the healing process.

Lasting impact

After all, Apple isn’t yet sure what the shooter’s motivations were, what his reasons were. Maybe it was Tiller’s March aquittal for an improper financial relationship with another doctor. Maybe it was more personal. Apple — like the rest of the nation — just isn’t sure yet.

“I think it’s probably too early to tell what the full impact of this will be,” he said. “It’ll be interesting as the details come out.”

Regardless, Apple said there is no reason for murder, no reason to take another human being’s life.

“The assassination of Dr. Tiller is sad and tragic,” Apple said.

Sad and tragic are two words Erin Rogers might use to describe Tiller’s death as well.

“I don’t think murder is ever an option,” Rogers said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.