A pastor from Tennessee reportedly saved his congregation from potential harm by tackling a gunman inside the church.
The Christian Headlines said Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church Pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana tackled a gunman to the ground on Sunday, November 7, saving his congregation from potential harm. The 26-year-old gunman was later identified by the Metro police as Dezire Baganda.
Video footage from the church showed Baganda was sitting in the front row of the church before he walked towards the altar where Ndikumana already was. This took place while the congregation was worshiping. Baganda then waved his gun to the congregation after telling them to get up. Ndikumana then tackled him to the ground before he could hurt any one.
In an interview with ABC News 2, Ndikumana revealed he was afraid Baganda would kill them so he pretended was leaving through the back door of the sanctuary only to tackle him and pin him to the ground. Other church members helped to disarm Baganda when he was already on the floor.
"He wanted to kill, that's what first came to my mind," Ndikumana said as translated by church choir member Nzojibugami Noe.
"He was standing in the front of almost everybody. No one was behind him yet, so he could have done anything," Noe added.
"I would say that God used me because I felt like I was going to use the back door as an example as going on by trying to go behind him. And then I felt the feeling that I would go and grab him...and that's what happened," Ndikumana continued.
Though not a member of the Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church, Baganda had previously attended worship services but was not violent until that Sunday incident. He was previously told though not to come for he might be disruptive to pastors when they give their sermons.
Members of the Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church thanked Pastor Ndikumana for what he did, which he then gave glory to God for. Ndikumana pointed out that the incident shows how "powerful God" is.
"God wanted to show that he's a powerful God. One main thing I said, we had faith," Ndikumana stressed.
Baganda has been charged with "57 counts of felony aggravated assault." His police affidavit showed that he finds himself to be Jesus Christ and that each school and church "needs to be shot up."
Mass shootings in places of worship has become a constant incident in the United States that is said to be happening not only to Christians but to other religions, as well, as per NBC News. Attacks have been previously conducted on Black churches to instill the message of White supremacy but are now said to include Jewish centers, Sikh temples, and Unitarian Universalist church.
Early this month, the United States Department of Justice agreed to pay $88 million in settlement to the survivors and families of victims of the Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church that took place on June 17, 2015. The Mother Emmanuel AME mass shooting is said to be "the most horrific hate crime" over the years that claimed the lives of nine people and left five people traumatized by the shooting incident caused by Dylann Roof.
The Department of Justice agreed to pay the settlement since Roof was able to purchase a gun despite his criminal record due to some faulty recording on it on the side of the government.
