One Lucky Preacher!

An image like this shows the dangers of gun violence.

A murderer tried to ice a preacher. 

The religious folks are screaming Hallelujah and Praise Jesus after a Pennsylvania pastor avoided instant death. A man barged into a service and point the barrel of a firearm at the pastor. The gun jammed and the suspect was subdued. It turned out that the shooter had an agenda. He killed his cousin and later tried to take his frustration on innocent civilians.

The suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested after he tried to shoot a pastor during a sermon that was being livestreamed Sunday, hours before a relative was found dead in a home where the suspect lived, authorities say.

Bernard Junior Polite, 26, of Braddock, had walked into Jesus Dwelling Place Church in the 400 block of Lobinger Avenue in Allegheny County, about 10 miles east of downtown Pittsburgh, just after 1 p.m. 

He entered the church and pointed a firearm at the pastor as he was delivering a sermon and attempted to shoot, “but the firearm failed to discharge,” Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release.

The terrifying ordeal was captured on a livestream of Sunday’s sermon that showed the moment Polite, dressed in black, wordlessly approached Glenn Germany preaching on stage and pointed what appeared to be a silver handgun at him. 

The pastor ran to a nearby podium, as attendees were heard yelling in shock.

Polite then walked over a bannister in front of the stage and a deacon, Clarence McCallister, ran up behind Polite, put his arms around him and brought him to the ground. 

Germany then pried the gun out of Polite’s hands and held him on the ground. State police said that the pastor and a congregation member held Polite until authorities arrived.

“He stood up and he smiled at me, and it was just a smile, but he comes to right here and then all of a sudden that’s when I see him pull a gun and all I could do was just duck and get out of the way,” Germany said to NBC affiliate WPXI of Pittsburgh. 

It clicked. You heard him shoot it. So, God jammed the gun so that the bullet didn’t come out,” Germany added. 

Pastor tearfully blessed that the gun jammed.

Germany said he even spoke with Polite after the attempted shooting.

“He said, 'Look, spirits was in my mind. They got in my mind and they told me come in and shoot the pastor.' He actually apologized to me. I told him that I forgive you and want you to know that I love you,” Germany explained. 

“God had his hands on the pastor,” McCallister told the station. “He wasn’t letting him go nowhere.”

Polite was charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person, court records show. He was arraigned around 1:15 a.m. Monday and denied bail, and was being held at Allegheny County Jail.

Hours later, police made a grisly discover at Polite's home.

At 8:15 p.m. Sunday, the Allegheny County Police Department responded to a house in the 500 block of Stokes Avenue in North Braddock and found an adult male, identified as Derek Polite, 56, deceased.

The medical examiner said Derek Polite had been shot. A homicide investigation is underway.

An Allegheny County Police spokesperson said Bernard Polite is a relative of the shooting victim.

"At this point, no charges have been filed in connection with the homicide and it remains an active investigation," police spokesperson Jim Madalinsky said.

A deacon subdued the shooter.

It's not immediately clear if Polite has legal representation. He’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 13. 

Cindy Davis and Ben Jordan, who live next door to the Polites, told NBC News that they were surprised to hear of the attempted church shooting. Davis described both Bernard Polite and Derek Polite as quiet and nice, noting she’d see Bernard play football with people in the area. 

A relative of Bernard and Derek Polite, who did not wish to be identified by name, told NBC News they were at a Cinco de Mayo party when they saw the video of the attempted church shooting on Facebook and people recognized Bernard Polite. 

The relative said they drove to Derek Polite’s house to check on him, found him dead and called 911. 

The family is “just in total shock,” the relative said. They “don’t have any words … because we just never would’ve imagined it.”

The relative said that Bernard had moved in with Derek several years ago and has a history of mental illness but that there have been no alarming incidents since he has been in the Pittsburgh area. 

Allegheny County police also said no one has reported concerns about Bernard in recent weeks to the police department.

To all the Black firearm owners who support the Second Amendment or former president Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential race, I just want to say...

"YOU'RE GONNA BE SHOT BY POLICE TOO!"

The National Rifle Association never reacts to lawful exercise of firearm use when a Black, Hispanic, Arab, Muslim, Indigenous, LGBTQ or underage teen of color is carrying them.

It is automatic dehumanizing from the far right, police unions and the junk food media.

When white men, women or even some Asians are carrying firearms, the NRA is often parading them around like they're heroes and protectors of freedom.

Gun violence is the number one threat in the United States.

You notice when Blacks are owning or posing with firearms, the junk food media calls it disturbing. When white people are posing with firearms, they are patriotic and expressing freedom.

No remorse.

I dismiss this ridiculous notion that criminals are the problem, not the guns. Firearms are often obtained through legal purchases. 

Again, having more security, teachers being armed and offering safe rooms are not solving the problem. The problem is lawmakers not willing to stop gun violence.

According to the far right: White shooters are mentally ill. Black shooters are unrepentant criminals. Gay shooters are active groomers. Muslim shooters are terrorists. Hispanic and Asian shooters are illegal immigrants. Almost all mass shooters are registered Democrats because they have liked one thing common to the left. Of course, they often share disinformation by using the "Sam Hyde" meme as a way to denounce most mass shooters being white. They say a white person should "protect" themselves from protesters and use of firearms are justified. They say if a shooter is active military or a veteran who supports conservative causes, they are considered a "heroes" and use of firearms are justified. If the shooters are teens, the far right automatically assume the gunmen are Black.

 

The Republicans usually amplify white victims. Anytime a person of color kills a white victim, it is often wall-to-wall coverage on Fox, X and other extreme outlets. They force it into national news. They make the case to blame Black Lives Matter, Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Democrats, Rev. Al Sharpton and rap music for Black on whatever violence. Republican lawmakers who do not live in urban neighborhoods often troll social media to talk about gun violence or crime in Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee and New York City while not doing a damn thing to stop it. If a white person shoots a Black person, the shooter is given the benefit of doubt. White shooters are given glowing profiles about their perfect lives and how friends noticed something but refused to do something. When it comes to Black shooters, automatic vilification. They don't see mental illness. They see it as gang violence, allegedly fatherless homes, Democratic policies or the need for more firearms. The far right and Republicans exploit gun violence in the Black community for culture wars and racism.

So in closing, expect more.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who don't get their names mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

The call number to the White House and U.S. Capitol is now going to be used. This is the official White House numbers 202-456-1111 and 202-456-1414. This is the Congress official phone number, 202-224-3121. Please be respectful to operators, staff members and elected leaders. Your calls are monitored by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police. 

Let them know that "thoughts and prayers," "hearts going to" and "good guys with guns" are no longer acceptable and you want legislation to curb gun violence. Let them know that you are tired of your taxpayer money going to foreign nations like Israel. Let them know this law on TikTok is a ban on free speech. You are tired of hearing about "Israel having a right to..." and the bogus claims of being anti-semitic or in support of terrorism.

We have bigger issues at home and our tax dollars should solve the housing crisis, lowering food prices, fixing roads, bridges, helping reinvest in struggling urban and rural communities. We have hospitals closing, big box retailers leaving communities and television programs dying. We have rampant gun violence happening in the country every day. There are bigger issues in the country than Israel. You want an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes done by Israel. You want no more foreign influence in American elections. You also want to make sure future presidents and lawmakers avoid influence from lobbyists.