‘Divine intervention’ saves pastor after gunman pulls trigger during church service

Glenn Germany dived out of the way when the suspect waved the gun from the aisle

Pastor Glenn Germany of the Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in the Pittsburgh suburb of North Braddock told ‘Good Morning America’ that the suspect was a stranger to his congregation (Glenn Germany/ABC News)

A pastor has said it had to be a miracle no one was hurt, after a man pulled a gun on him during a service on Sunday, but the firearm jammed.

The moment was caught on video thanks to the Pennsylvania church’s livestream, with the pastor jumping out of the way as the suspect brandished the gun at him from the aisle.

Pastor Glenn Germany, of Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, said Monday he was thankful to God to still be alive.

“He pulled the trigger and a miracle of God happened that the gun got jammed. That bullet had a name on it,” Mr Germany told ABC’s Good Morning America.

Bernard Junior Polite is accused of attempted murder after pulling a gun on a pastor in Pennsylvania on Sunday 5 May 2024 (Allegheny County Jail)

The suspect, Bernard Junior Polite, 26, was later arrested after a member of the congregation tackled him to the ground.

The pastor said that he had noticed the suspect enter the church and had even smiled at him before pulling out the gun.

“I started to begin to preach and all of a sudden, from my left-hand side, I saw him move from the back to the front of the church, and he set up in the front corner of the church and smiled at me,” Mr Germany told Action 4 News.

“All of a sudden, I just saw a gun pointing right at me. And at that point, all I could try to do is try to run for cover.”

When the gun failed, churchgoers held the man down until police arrived.

A member of the congregation tackles the gunman to the floor at Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock (AP)

He reportedly told Pennsylvania State Police officers after his arrest that “God told him to do it”, ABC News reported.

Later Sunday evening, a body was reportedly found at Mr Polite’s home on the 500 block of Stokes Avenue in North Braddock.

Allegheny County Police Department said that a man had been shot to death, with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office confirming the victim as Derek Polite, 56.

Court records seen by The Independent show the suspect has been charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and attempted homicide.

It did not appear that he had been charged over the death of Derek Polite.