Issue date: 7/31/08 Section: NEWS

Joe Barnhart

Joe Barnhart, retired UNT philosophy professor, was among those shot at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church on July 27.

The other victims in the shooting included his brother Jack Barnhart, sister-in-law Betty Barnhart and Joe Barnhart's daughter, Linda Chavez. The gunman killed two people and injured seven people.

Joe Barnhart is in stable condition and may be discharged from the hospital soon. His brother is also in stable condition.

"My granddaughter was performing at the church that day, so me, my wife, my brother and sister-in-law and our friend Linda Kraegar" were there, Joe Barnhart said.

Barnhart said Kraegar was closest to where the shooter was, and she was the first person shot.

"I dove on to the floor to have a look at Linda, and as I was almost there the shooter shot me in the back," Barnhart said. "I blocked my wife from getting shot."

Barnhart also said Kraegar was a close friend of the family. Kraeger died after being shot. She was 61.

"She became very vital to our family," Barnhart said. "Linda was a very reliable and sensitive human being. She was helping raise our grandchildren. They called her Aunt Linda, so this will affect them greatly too."

According to the Knoxville, Tenn., police report, Jim D. Adkisson, 58, was arrested Monday and charged with first degree murder, which may have been premeditated and intentional.

On that Sunday morning, Adkisson entered the church with a shotgun and walked to the sanctuary and started shooting.

According to The Associated Press reports, Adkisson's ex-wife attended the church. Knoxville police said Adkisson allegedly targeted the church for its liberal views.

Liza Alexander, Adkisson's wife, filed for witness protection. She said she was in fear for her life.

The witness protection document quoted Alexander as saying that Adkisson threatened her life. After he threatened her, she slept in a hotel room fearing what he might do to her.

Joe Barnhart started teaching at UNT in 1967, beginning as an assistant professor, and he retired in 2007 as a professor teaching several classes including early Christianity and information about other religions.

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