In brief: Man shoots six, kills four and himself

Douglasville, Ga. – A man shot six people Saturday afternoon, killing four of them, including his ex-wife and several children before turning the gun on himself on a quiet, suburban street outside Atlanta, police and neighbors said.

Horrified neighbors called 911 and tended to the severely injured victims as best they could before rescuers arrived.

The shooting happened about 3 p.m. in a subdivision about 20 miles west of Atlanta, Douglas County Sheriff’s Lt. Glenn Daniel said.

The shooter, whose name was not immediately released, appeared to have targeted his ex-wife and her household, including several children who tried to flee, Daniel said. Investigators believe the gunman killed himself at the end of the shooting spree.

Pope criticized for remarks on spanking

Vatican City – Members of Pope Francis’ sex abuse commission have criticized his remarks that it is OK for parents to spank their children, saying there is no place for physical discipline and that the commission would be making recommendations to him about protecting kids from corporal punishment.

The commission met with its full 17 members for the first time last week and announced progress Saturday on drafting policies for holding bishops accountable when they cover up for pedophile priests. Commission members also said they were organizing educational seminars for Vatican officials and newly minted bishops on protecting children from predators.

But they got an unexpected and urgent new task when Francis told his weekly general audience last week that it was OK for parents to spank their children if their dignity was respected.

Commission member Peter Saunders, who was sexually abused by a priest as a teen, said the committee would recommend that the pope revise his remarks.

“It might start off as a light tap, but actually the whole idea about hitting children is about inflicting pain,” he said. “That’s what it’s about and there is no place in this day and age for having physical punishment, for inflicting pain, in terms of how you discipline your children.”