Inset: Bernard Polite booking photo via Pennsylvania State Police. Bernard Polite points a gun at a pastor during a sermon on May 5, 2024. The incident was captured by the church’s Facebook livestream. YouTube screengrab footage from ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI.
On Sunday, according to police in Pennsylvania, Bernard Polite, 26, walked right into the Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church, pulled out a gun and attempted to shoot a pastor delivering a sermon. Now police say they are investigating further after they found a dead body inside of Polite’s home.
In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Police said Polite “pointed a firearm at the pastor, attempted to shoot, but the firearm failed to discharge.”
A member of the congregation immediately grabbed him in a bid to subdue him and with the pastor’s help, the North Braddock man was disarmed and held in place until police officers arrived.
Court records show Polite was charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. His bail was denied and he remains in detention.
Following Polite’s arrest on Sunday, according to CBS News, police responded later that same day to a report of a shooting at his home in North Braddock. That shooting had occurred around 8 p.m. and police identified the victim found inside the house as Derek Polite, 56.
Whether Bernard Polite had anything to do with his death has not been established at this time.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 13, records show.
The pastor of Jesus’ Dwelling Place, Glenn Germany, told NBC affiliate WPXI on Sunday: “He pulled the gun, it clicked. You heard him shoot it. God jammed the gun so the bullet didn’t come out.”
Germany said Polite smiled at him as he walked up and took aim.
All he could do, he said, was duck and “try to get out of the way,” he said.
The person who tackled the alleged shooter was church Deacon Clarence McCallister. Polite, he said, had his back to him when he stood there holding the gun. McCallister said he thought Polite would never see him coming — and, apparently, he did not.
Police told WPXI that Polite said there were “spirits … in my mind.”
“They got in mind and told me to shoot the pastor,” he allegedly told police.
Germany said Polite apologized to him after the ordeal and he “definitely” forgave him and that he loved him.
It is unclear if Polite has retained an attorney at this time but court records as of Sunday indicated he has not.