Following video evidence of a 26-year-old man pulling a gun on a preacher during a live-streamed church session on Sunday, Western Pennsylvania law enforcement has opened an investigation.
Later that evening, police claimed that they discovered a guy who had been shot to death in the suspect’s house. As a result, police have launched an investigation.
The guy entered Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock just before 1:10 p.m., according to Pennsylvania State Police, and tried to shoot the pastor during his sermon.
The Allegheny County borough of North Braddock is located roughly nine miles southeast of Pittsburgh’s city center.
Pastor speaks after identifying the suspect
North Braddock resident Bernard Junior Polite was recognized by the police as the suspect.
Police stated in a news statement that they “polite pointed a firearm at the pastor, attempted to shoot, but the firearm failed to discharge.”
Glenn Germany, the preacher, told reporters over the phone on Monday morning, “The gun did not go off, but he definitely pulled the trigger. It was a gentleman who randomly did something up the road… and the next place he came was the church. He said spirits were telling him to shoot a pastor.”
Germany named the churchgoer who tackled the culprit as 63-year-old deacon Clarence McCallister, who has been a member for the previous nine years.
Germany stated, “Everything is well,” in a hoarse voice that suggested he had not slept well. “At this point it’s just about being grateful. ”
Germany claimed to have seen the armed suspect inside the facility before he entered the sanctuary.
“He came in and out of the church a couple times, during praise and worship and then all the sudden he sat in the back and came to the front and he smiled at me,” Germany remembered.
Germany claimed, “He stopped in the middle of the pulpit, pulled the gun out, and it just jammed,” before attempting to hide and covering his face with his hands.
Later, body discovered in house next to church
At 8:15 p.m. that same day, according to the Allegheny County Police Department, officers discovered a guy who had been shot to death inside Polite’s house.
The individual was declared dead at the spot, according to the police. Derek Polite, 56, of North Braddock, was the fatal shooting victim, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office.
The relationship between the individual found dead in the house and the armed church suspect was not immediately established, and as of Monday afternoon, no charges had been brought in relation to the homicide.
Prior to the gun jamming, Germany was talking about miracles
Germany, a 14-year church employee, said that roughly 50 individuals routinely attend the Sunday morning session.
The senior pastor of the church, according to the preacher, is his brother Gary Germany, who delivers the sermon on Sundays. Germany claimed to have been preaching about comprehending God’s ways prior to the brawl.
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“How he is able to heal and perform miracles, and how his ways can keeping you out of harms way,” Germany stated.
Germany claimed that the congregation remained at the church for several hours to encourage one another and attempt to make sense of what had happened after police arrived and put the suspect into prison.
“We stayed until 5 p.m. trying to decipher the whole situation,” Germany said. “We were all ignorant as to why he came in. No one knew him.”
“I really thank God because I was informed after church the police were at his house and found (a relative) shot to death,” Germany stated.