A dramatic incident shook the tranquility of Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, when Bernard Polite, 26, attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany in the middle of a sermon last Sunday, May 5, shortly after 1 p.m. The intervention of a deacon prevented the situation from escalating into a tragedy, in a fact that has highlighted the problems surrounding mental health and security in places of worship.
Pennsylvania State Police charged Braddock resident Bernard Polite with multiple crimes, including aggravated assault and attempted murder, after he broke into the temple with the intention of attacking Pastor Germany. “I thank God because he alone stopped and jammed this weapon,” said the pastor after the failed attack, attributing the malfunction of the weapon that prevented it from being fired to a miracle.
“This guy was just dealing with spirits,” Germany said after speaking with Polite, who had been detained and taken into police custody. During the exchange, Polite opened up about the voices in his mind, suggesting a battle with mental illness. “He said ‘I dodged a taco’ today, and I guess that’s slang for I dodged a bullet,” Germany told ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’.
In a confession made to Trooper Adam J. Sikorski of the Pennsylvania State Police, Polite gave puzzling motives behind his actions. He claimed to have heard music coming from the church, which prompted him to enter and make an attempt on the pastor’s life, with the aim of being imprisoned and “clearing his mind,” according to the criminal complaint.
The attempted attack not only revealed the imminent danger that those present experienced, but also the emotional impact on them, especially for the pastor, who had to maintain his composure in front of his 14-year-old daughter, present among the faithful. “Seeing her fall apart, that’s the hardest thing for me to digest,” Germany admitted.
Courage was manifested in the figure of Deacon Clarence McCallister, who did not hesitate to attack the aggressor to neutralize the threat. “There is something that needs to be done and I got to work,” McCallister recalled. “He’s a hero,” Pastor Germany said of McCallister.
An unexpected turn
Polite’s arrest led authorities to a broader investigation, which revealed an even more gruesome event. In the suspect’s house, very close to the church, police discovered the body of Derek Polite, a 56-year-old man, fatally wounded by a gunshot. Although the details of the relationship between Bernard Polite and the victim have not been specified, this finding links the suspect to an additional crime, CBS News confirmed.
A resident of the area told KDKA he heard a gunshot earlier in the day. The case was escalated to the county’s homicide unit in charge of further investigating events of this nature.
The North Braddock community and the faithful of Jesus’ Dwelling Place are shocked but grateful for Pastor Germany’s miraculous escape. The situation could have resulted in a tragedy of unimaginable proportions if not for “divine intervention” and the decisive action of brave individuals within the congregation.
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