Pennsylvania pastor forgives gunman after attempted shooting during sermon: 'Grateful to God'
A Pennsylvania pastor's brush with death turned into a testament of faith and an opportunity to show forgiveness after an assailant's gun jammed during an attempted mid-sermon attack on Sunday.
"I'm grateful to God because all it takes is one [bullet]," Glenn Germany, pastor at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, said Tuesday on "Fox & Friends."
"I would not be with my family today, so I'm definitely grateful to God because he definitely had the upper hand on me because I did not see him coming."
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Footage of the incident captured the suspect approaching the pulpit with a firearm pointed at Germany as he delivered his sermon. Germany quickly ran for cover as one of the church deacons tackled the gunman, eventually removing the weapon from his possession.
Court papers identified the suspect as 26-year-old Bernard Polite, who later confessed that he felt compelled to shoot Germany because "God told him to do it" and he wanted to go to jail to "clear his mind," according to a local report.
Germany said he spoke to Polite after the incident and forgave him.
"I let him know that I forgave him," he told co-host Steve Doocy. "When he was in the car, that's when I let him know, 'I forgive you, I love you, and my name is Glenn Germany, and I want you to remember my name in any way I can help you. I'd like to help you, man.'"
Germany said Polite told him about "the voices" inside his head during their conversation.
Court records show Polite faces charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. He was being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail and is due back in court on May 13.
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Doocy asked Germany how he might tell the story of what happened 10 years down the line, but he insisted the focus should instead be on the word of God.
The Allegheny County Police Department said separately that it has also launched a homicide investigation into a man's death on Stokes Avenue. Public records show Polite has relatives on the street.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz and Mitch Picasso contributed to this report.