NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. — A body was found in the home of a suspect who is accused of pulling a gun and trying to shoot a pastor at a church service in Pennsylvania on Sunday. The terrifying ordeal was caught on a live-stream broadcast as the church camera operator jumped into action and took the would-be shooter to the ground.
The gun wielding man was identified as 26-year-old Bernard Polite. He was subdued and taken into custody after trying to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany at the Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock on Sunday, WTAE reported.
A terrifying live-stream of the ordeal showed the gunman appearing at the front of the auditorium and pointing a firearm at the pastor, who then ducked for cover behind the pulpit.
“By some miracle, when Polite tried to fire the gun, it jammed,” noted a reporter.
As Germany took cover, the camera operator, Clarence McCallister, sprang into action and tackled the gunman. Germany then assisted McCallister in disarming the man.
“I’m thankful to God that I’m still here because he definitely pulled the trigger,” Germany told WTAE.
“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.
“All of a sudden, I just saw a gun pointing right at me. And at that point, all I could try to do is run for cover.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities conducted a follow-up investigation after Polite was taken into custody.
On Sunday evening, investigators discovered a body in Polite’s home in the 500 block of Stokes Avenue, less than half a mile from the church. An adult male had been shot to death, WTAE reported.
Early Monday morning, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased gunshot victim as Derek Polite, 56, of North Braddock. It wasn’t clear when he was shot and killed.
The relationship between the church gunman and the deceased individual (both of whom have the same last name, with a 30-year difference in age) is unclear, although local news outlets said the suspect lived in the home with his uncle.
The Allegheny County Police Department continues to investigate the death, and thus far no charges have been filed regarding the homicide.
However, on Monday morning, Bernard Polite was arraigned on a slew of charges, including attempted murder, related to crimes that took place at the church. He is currently being held in the Allegheny County Jail.
