A church service in Pennsylvania faced a horrifying interruption on Sunday when a man allegedly brandished a gun at the pastor, attempting to shoot him during his sermon.
The incident unfolded at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, shortly after 1:00 p.m. ET, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.
The suspected gunman, identified as 26-year-old Bernard Junior Polite, reportedly entered the church and tried to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany as he delivered his sermon, which was being live-streamed. Thankfully, the firearm failed to discharge, and a quick-thinking congregation member, along with the pastor, managed to subdue and disarm Polite before anyone was harmed, police reported.
Recalling the alarming incident, Pastor Germany described how Polite had smiled at him before the attempted attack. "I began to preach, and suddenly, from my left-hand side, I saw him move to the front of the church, where he smiled at me," Germany said. "All of a sudden, I just saw a gun pointing right at me. At that point, all I could try to do is run for cover."
Germany praised the bravery of the congregation member who sprang into action, saying, "He could have lost his life in that struggle, but he sacrificed himself for everyone, and he's the hero."
Polite was apprehended at the church and held until Pennsylvania State Police troopers arrived and took him into custody. Charges have been filed, though details about Polite's arraignment and legal representation were not immediately available.