Terrifying moment gunman tries to shoot pastor during church sermon

Warning: This article contains graphic images and video detailing gun violence which some readers may find distressing.

A gunman has been arrested after being caught on camera pulling a gun on a pastor in a church.

On Sunday (May 5), a man allegedly tried to shoot a pastor mid-way through a sermon at a church in North Braddock, Pennsylvania.

Reverend Glenn Germany was giving a sermon on the 'enemies of a God' to people seated inside Jesus' Dwelling Place Church alongside members of the congregation who were watching via a live-stream video when a shocking incident occurred.

The recording captured the moment a man stood up and raised a gun at the reverend, Germany telling Good Morning America the suspect actually 'pulled the trigger' but 'a miracle of God happened' because the gun was 'jammed'.

Germany added to CBS Pittsburgh: "I thank God because only God stopped and jammed his gun."

The incident too place at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church (Google Maps)

Before the gunman had time to try again, a church deacon named Clarence McCallister quickly jumped up and tackling him.

"That's how a man reacts," he said. "Something needed to be done and I jumped up there and handled my business."

McCallister also thanked God for 'giving [him] the courage to do what [he] did'.

Police were quickly called to the scene and a 26-year-old named Bernard Junior Polite was arrested.

A man pointed a gun at the pastor (CBS Pittsburgh)

Germany later spoke with Bernard, who allegedly apologised for his behavior towards the pastor, an apology Germany said he accepted.

Germany reflected: "The thing that hurt me the most, the things that brings tears to my eyes, is I watched my daughter who's seen it all.

"But I still had to be strong for her but I couldn't take it, just seeing her [...] it's hard for me to digest."

Germany's daughter, who was in the church at the time of the incident, is just 14 years old.

Later that day, Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department searched a property along Stokes Avenue in North Braddock after receiving reports of a shooting.

Police discovered a man with a gunshot wound who'd passed away - identified as 56-year-old Derek Polite - at the property which is where authorities say Bernard Polite also resides.

No official link between the incident at the church and the incident at the home has yet been made by police, nor Bernard and the death of Derek.

UNILAD has contacted Braddock Police Department for comment.

Topics: Gun Crime, US News

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.