NORTH BRADDOCK, PA – A local pastor’s sermon was abruptly interrupted when a man brandished a firearm in the middle of the service on Sunday. The alleged gunman, Bernard Polite, 26, was subsequently arrested after attempting to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany at the Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church.
The shocking incident was captured on a live stream, showing Pastor Germany seeking cover as Polite wielded his weapon. “I’m thankful to God that I’m still here because he definitely pulled the trigger,” Pastor Germany later shared.
The pastor described the chilling moment when he noticed Polite moving from the back to the front of the church. He said, “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.”
In the immediate aftermath, the church’s deacon, Clarence McCallister, was filmed tackling Polite. Both he and Pastor Germany managed to disarm the suspect and held him until the police arrived.
Germany, whose teenage daughter was present at the time of the incident, revealed that Polite later confessed to him that he had been seeing “spirits” in his mind urging him to open fire. The pastor said, “He said you ducked a taco today, that’s what he told me, and I guess that’s slang for you ducked a bullet.”
Polite is now facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault and attempted homicide. In a separate development, Allegheny County Police are investigating the discovery of a 56-year-old man’s body in the home where Polite resided, which is located less than half a mile from the church. The victim was identified as Derek Polite, but the police have yet to disclose any details or suspects related to this shooting.