A man who pulled a gun on a pastor at a Pennsylvania church on Sunday has been charged with homicide after his cousin was discovered shot to death, according to Allegheny County Police.
On Sunday, authorities arrested Bernard Junior Polite, 26, for allegedly trying to shoot Rev. Glenn Germany during a sermon at the Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in the North Braddock neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
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A church deacon assaulted Polite from behind during the livestreamed event after his weapon jammed.
Authorities found the body of Derek Polite, a 56-year-old man, shot to death in the suspect’s home after Polite’s arrest.
Law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday that they had charged the suspect with homicide in relation to the death of the man, who they identified as his cousin.
According to witnesses interrogated by detectives, the suspect was “pacing outside the residence” on the morning of the church incident, and a neighbor “reported hearing a noise that could have been a gunshot.”
We are holding Polite in jail until his arraignment.
According to a criminal complaint, Polite allegedly confessed to attempting to kill the pastor, telling a police officer that “God told him to do it.”
In an interview with “Good Morning America,” the pastor described his survival from the attempted shooting as a “miracle.”
“When he pulled the trigger, the gun jammed as if by miracle. “That bullet had a name on it,” Germany explained.
Germany told “GMA” that he observed Polite enter the church, and that the man smiled at him before approaching the pulpit and pointing his gun at him. Germany darts behind a podium as Clarence McCallister, the deacon, tackles Polite.
“I just jumped up and… pulled his arm down to his side and locked him up,” said McCallister. “GMA.”
Germany referred to McCallister’s swift response as “an act of heroism, if I’ve ever seen one.”
