A California pastor subdued an axe-wielding burglar who broke into a church on Thanksgiving morning. The pastor successfully subdued the suspect until police arrived, ensuring the safety of the church's property, as reported by local law enforcement.
The incident took place at the First Family Church in Antioch, California, early Thursday when the church's alarm system was triggered, prompting Pastor Nick Neves to respond to the scene, according to News Nation.
Upon arrival, Neves discovered a man attempting to break into the church by smashing its windows with an axe. Instead of fleeing, the intruder decided to confront Neves, resulting in a physical altercation in the church parking lot.
Neves, who has a background in mixed martial arts including jujitsu and kickboxing, managed to keep the suspect subdued until police officers could apprehend him. “I shouted at him to stop, and that police were on their way, and he ran, and I grabbed a hold of him, and we ended up wrestling in the parking lot of the church,” Neves told NBC News.
He emphasized that his martial arts training allowed him to control the situation without causing significant harm to the intruder. “I was able to pin him to the ground, and he got up and tried to get away several times, but basically just trying to wear him out because I knew I could outlast him,” he recounted.
The Antioch Police Department confirmed Neves' account in a Facebook post, stating, “When the burglar saw his wicked deeds had been discovered, he decided to fight with the pastor instead of repent. What he did not know was the pastor would win this battle of good and evil,” further referencing Proverbs 28:1: “But the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident.
“It’s just ironic. If he had come a couple of days earlier, he would have been blessed and got some food and been cared for,” the pastor remarked. He noted that the church had recently completed a community project aimed at aiding those in need. “But he decided instead to smash windows and desecrate property and do something that's going to hurt the ministries,” Neves added.
The motive behind the suspect's break-in remains unclear, and authorities have not disclosed whether he was under the influence of drugs during the incident.
