While investigators haven’t released information about the suspect or motive, Tiller had been a target of anti-abortion activists for more than a decade. He was shot in both arms by Rachelle Shannon in 1993. His clinic was bombed in 1986, and was vandalized earlier this month causing several thousand dollars in damage.

If his murder was the result of anti-abortion ideology, Tiller’s would be the eighth death in the last 20 years. In addition, there have been 17 attempted murders, 41 bombings, 175 incidents of arson, 96 attempted bombings or arson, 390 invasions, 1,400 cases of vandalism, 1,993 cases of trespassing, 100 butyric acid attacks, 659 anthrax threats, 179 cases of assault and battery, 406 death threats, four kidnappings, 151 burglaries, and 525 cases of stalking directed at abortion clinics, doctors and patients according to the National Abortion Federation.

Those numbers include Matthew Derosia’s attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul earlier this year.

Anti-abortion activists quickly condemned the murder.

“We cannot kill people in the name of pro-life.” said Bryan Kemper, president of Stand True. “Answering the violence of abortion with more violence will not serve the babies or help the pro-life movement in any way.”

Operation Rescue, a group that had launched a national protest against Tiller in 1991, wrote in a release: “Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning. We pray for Mr. Tiller’s family that they will find comfort and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ.”

But Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, was less apologetic. “George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God,” said Terry. “I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller’s killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder. And we still must call abortion by its proper name; murder.”

“He died the way he lived. His was a bloody death,” said the Rev Rusty Thomas of Operation Save America. “Someone ‘chose’ to end George Tiller’s life this morning, in his church.”

Rev. CJ Conner, author of “Jesus and the Culture Wars: Reclaiming the Lord’s Prayer,” said it was Tiller’s church that was to blame.

Mr. Tiller lived quite the murderous life himself, pulling viable babies out by their legs and sucking their brains out with a vacuum. Other Churches called him to repentance and excommunicated him, but Reformation Lutheran, ELCA, enthusiastically embraced him, pocketbook and all.

Church discipline, and the call to repentance, is a matter of life and death in the Church. As Reformation Lutheran mops up Tiller’s blood from their foyer floor, let them not forget that his blood is also on their hands.

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, was saddened but wouldn’t label it an anti-abortion killing.

I am saddened to hear of the killing of George Tiller this morning. At this point, we do not know the motives of this act, or who is behind it, whether an angry post-abortive man or woman, or a misguided activist, or an enemy within the abortion industry, or a political enemy frustrated with the way Tiller has escaped prosecution. We should not jump to conclusions or rush to judgment.

But whatever the motives, we at Priests for Life continue to insist on a culture in which violence is never seen as the solution to any problem. Every life has to be protected, without regard to their age or views or actions.

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Derosia was sentenced to time served, but the state is seeking to have him permanently committed for mental illness. Derosia has faced at least two commitment proceedings in the last decade.

His family is opposing the current commitment, saying Derosia was only doing the Lord’s work.

In an email to the Minnesota Independent on Sunday, Derosia’s mother Georjean, came to his defense. “[It is] the state of Minnesota’s intention to LOCK UP my son for a non-violent protest against Planned Parenthood for THE REST OF HIS LIFE!!!”

Georgjean’s email was sent to anti-abortion activists soliciting funds to keep him out of full-time mental care.

“I agree he needs help and we are getting him the help he needs but without your help he will be lost to everyone forever. With Gods [sic] love we can get justice for this poor boy who was only doing what God asked him to do.”

Matthew Derosia pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 111 days time served and fined $50. He also must pay restitution to Planned Parenthood in the amount of $3,818.85.

The police report noted that after running a vehicle into the front of the clinic, Derosia was “holding a crucifix and shouting various Bible verses. ” He “refused to respond to police and continued to recite Bible verses and shout, ‘Close down the Auschwitz Death Camp.’”

He also told police that “he felt what he did was right and he would do it again if he were told to that he would do it again.”

The incident sparked condemnation from local anti-abortion leaders. Brian Gibson, executive director of Pro-Life Action Ministries, told KARE 11 at the time, “Not only do we not like this happening, we condemn this type of act. We’re against all violence,” Gibson said.

But the extreme wing of the anti-abortion movement has rallied to his defense.

Rev. Donald Spitz of the Army of God, a group that has expressed support for Derosia’s actions before, railed against Gibson.

“Brian Gibson, why did you condemn Matthew Derosia who only drive [sic] a van into a babykilling facility, yet accept women who actually murder their own children by abortion and have the blood of their own children on their hands?,” he wrote in an email to Gibson that’s posted on Spitz’s website.

“What is more important to the LORD Jesus Christ, to save babies about to be murdered in a babykilling abortion mill or the facade of that babykilling abortion mill? To you it is the facade of the babykilling abortion mill that needs protecting and not the babies being murdered.”