A shocking incident disrupted a church service in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, when a man brandished a gun at the pastor during his sermon.
The entire ordeal was captured on video, adding to the intensity of the situation.
Bernard Polite, hailing from Braddock, Pennsylvania, faces charges from the Pennsylvania State Police for entering Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church and attempting to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany. The distressing event unfolded on a Sunday afternoon, just after 1 p.m, May 5th 2024.
The startling moment when Pastor Germany found himself staring down the barrel of a gun was documented by the church’s deacon and shared online. Recalling the harrowing experience, Pastor Germany expressed disbelief, remarking, “I was like, this is not happening.”
Miraculously, the gun malfunctioned, failing to discharge a shot. Pastor Germany attributed this fortunate outcome to divine intervention, stating, “I thank God because only God stopped and jammed this gun.”
Reacting swiftly to protect the congregation, church Deacon Clarence McCallister intervened, tackling Polite to the ground. Pastor Germany hailed McCallister as a hero for his courageous actions, emphasizing,
“There’s something that needs to be done and I jumped up and handled my business.”
With McCallister’s assistance, Pastor Germany managed to restrain Polite until law enforcement arrived to apprehend him. During his interaction with Polite while in police custody, Pastor Germany gleaned insights into the assailant’s mental state.
Polite confessed to grappling with inner turmoil, attributing his actions to spiritual influences and auditory hallucinations. Pastor Germany noted Polite’s apology and apparent acknowledgement of his mental health struggles, revealing,
“He said you ducked a taco today, that’s what he told me, and I guess that’s slang for you ducked a bullet.”
Despite extending forgiveness to Polite, Pastor Germany admitted to struggling with the aftermath of the incident, particularly witnessing his daughter’s emotional distress. Reflecting on the ordeal, he expressed anguish, sharing,
“The thing that hurts me the most and brings tears to my eyes because I couldn’t watch my daughter break down.”
Drawing from this traumatic experience, Pastor Germany aims to raise awareness about the reality of mental illness among his congregation.
Video of the incident
He recounted Polite’s erratic behavior leading up to the attempted shooting, underscoring the importance of recognizing and addressing mental health issues.
Bernard Polite now faces a slew of charges, including aggravated assault and attempted homicide. With bail denied, he awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for the following week.
