Two Peruvian LDS missionaries killed Wednesday were shot by four alleged members of the The Tupac Amaru Revolutionary movement, Peruvian police reported Thursday.
Authorities in Huancayo, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said both missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were killed in Batanyacui, in the district of El Tambo, about 125 miles east of Lima.Elder Manuel Antonio Hidalgo, 22, of Arequipa, Peru, and Elder Christian Andreani Ugarte, 21, of Trujillo, Peru, were shot at 1:30 p.m. by gunmen who ambushed them after hiding in trees, police said.
During the scuffle, both elders were beaten, one was stabbed in the throat and they were each shot once in the head.
According to Mission President Juan Angel Alvaradejo, of the Peru, Lima East Mission, the missionaries were going to a boarding house where several missionaries eat.
In a statement released Thursday, the church's First Presidency said, "We are shocked and saddened by this tragedy. We express our deepest sympathy to the parents and families of the two martyrs."
Church officials said missionaries serving throughout the world are sent to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and have no political agenda.
"We pray for an end to the hatred and misunderstanding which led to this tragedy."
Peruvian police also reported that early Thursday morning, Andres Porra Gaspar a farm worker believed to be a member of the LDS Church, also was killed by gunmen who ambushed him in his home and shot him once in the head.The terrorists left a sign next to the bodies of the missionaries that said in Spanish, "Asi mueren los que apoyan a los imperialistas" (This is how imperialists' supporters die), police said.
Huancayo Police officials said similar messages have been left in the past when terrorists have killed police officers, except that they say, "Asi mueren los perros del gobierno" (This is how the government dogs die).
Efrain Gamarra, father of Stake President Cesar Gamarra, who leads the Arequipa Stake, and who personally knew Elder Hidalgo, said most members in Peru believe the missionaries were killed by subversive terrorists who hide in the mountains of Peru.
State department officials told staff of Rep. Wayne Owens, D-Utah, that they had received earlier reports that some LDS businessmen in Peru had felt threatened by violent groups.
They said an American Jewish businessman had his business bombed. "So whether the problem was anti-Mormon, anti-religious or anti-American, no one seems to know," said Art Kingdom, press secretary to Owens.
Gamarra said Hidalgo was a faithful member of the Manuel Prado Ward, in Arequipa.
"He was an excellent boy. We all loved him very much," Gamarra said. "He was serving his church diligently. He voluntarily fulfilled his mission. All the members are saddened by this tragedy. This has caused a terrible commotion because we loved him so much."
Before beginning his mission, Elder Hidalgo attended Universidad de San Agustin, in Arequipa, where he studied marketing. Elder Hidalgo had served since April 27.
Elder Ugarte, a district leader, would have completed his mission next month. Before his mission, he was studying to be an electrician, in Trujillo.
President Jose Andres Neyra, of the Trujillo Stake, said Ugarte's mother, Gladys Ines Ayaviri de Ugarte, had premonitions that her son was going to be killed on his mission.
"She knew this was going to happen," Neyra said. "His mother two nights ago had a dream that her son wasn't going to come back from his mission. So when we called, she knew."
Alvaradejo said both bodies were flown to Trujillo and Arequipa, where family members and friends will now plan their funerals for Friday or Saturday.
"Both missionaries were well-liked by the people. They worked very hard." Alvaradejo said. "We really are shocked at what's happened. It's unfortunate . . . This is sad particularly because we have had a fair amount of success in the mission and this is part of the opposition."
Alvaradejo said all 200 missionaries in the Peru Lima East Mission have been brought in from the smaller towns to work in the city. About 35 are Americans, he said.
Alvaradejo said Peruvian authorities are taking extreme safety precautions to protect the other missionaries. He said all missionaries in the country have been ordered to remain indoors.