A man has been sentenced to a prison term of up to 60 years following a harrowing incident last year, in which he pulled a gun on a pastor during a church service in the US state of Pennsylvania.
Bernard Polite, 27, pleaded guilty, but mentally ill, to charges of third-degree murder and attempted homicide.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, Polite was charged with the murder of his cousin, Derek Polite, and the attempted homicide of Pastor Glenn Germany of the Dwelling Place Church.
He faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of 60 years in prison as a result of his crimes - 20 years for the attempted shooting, plus 15 to 40 years for murdering his cousin.
A video that went viral online in 2024 shows Pastor Germany preaching when Polite suddenly approached the front of the church and pointed a gun directly at him. The pastor quickly moved aside, narrowly avoiding what appeared to be an attempted shooting.
WMBS Radio reported that a church deacon bravely intervened, tackling Polite in a struggle alongside Pastor Germany as they fought for control of the weapon. The deacon ultimately disarmed Polite and called for emergency assistance.
Authorities later found the body of Derek Polite, who was shot dead at the home he reportedly shared with Bernard Polite.
In the aftermath of the May 2024 incident, members of the church community took to social media to commend Pastor Germany’s courage and faith. “Pastor Glenn Germany was there with the man after the man almost took his life. God shows us that He is a protector, a provider, a loving God!” shared Tazz Jones on Facebook. “He shows us how quickly things can happen and how swiftly God can intervene!”
Polite faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of 60 years in prison as a result of his crimes.