A church service in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, was upended Sunday when a man pulled a gun on the pastor in the middle of his sermon. The incident was caught on video.
Pennsylvania State Police have charged 26-year-old Bernard Polite of Braddock, saying he entered and attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany while the pastor was delivering a sermon at Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church on Sunday just after 1 p.m.
Video taken by the church’s deacon and posted online by Pastor Glenn Germany shows the moment the pastor suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.
Bernard Polite is accused of pulling out a gun and trying to shoot a pastor while he was delivering a sermon at a church in North Braddock, Pa.
“I was like, this is not happening,” Pastor Germany said.
Yet somehow, it was, but no shot was fired. The gun failed to discharge, police said.
“I thank God because only God stopped and jammed this gun,” Germany said.
As the pastor ducked out of the way, church Deacon Clarence McCallister jumped in front of the camera, tackling the man with the gun to the ground.
McCallister said that’s just how his mind reacted.
“There’s something that needs to be done and I jumped up and handled my business,” McCallister said.
“He’s a hero,” Germany said of McCallister.
McCallister and Germany were able to keep Polite subdued until police arrived and then he was taken into custody.
While in police custody, Germany spoke to Polite.
“This guy was just dealing with spirits he said, and he came in and wanted to shoot somebody,” Germany said, adding Polite said there were voices in his mind.
It was apparent to Germany that Polite faces a form of mental illness, he said.
“He said you ducked a taco today, that’s what he told me, and I guess that’s slang for you ducked a bullet,” he said.
Polite apologized to Germany, he said. Germany forgave him, but says he hasn’t processed what happened.
“The thing that hurts me the most and brings tears to my eyes because I couldn’t watch my daughter break down,” he said.