:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/FOAX2D2ETRDBPJCLBIVOKD4TMQ.jpg)
NASHVILLE, — A pastor saved his whole congregation during a service on Sunday.
Police said a man started waving and pointing a gun during the service at Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church as several people were praying at the church’s altar, The Associated Press reported.
The man, identified by police as Dezire Baganda, 26, was sitting at the front of the church when he pulled out a gun, NBC News reported.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SV4XVNWSDFD37GCJMQB5VPLS7U.jpg)
Baganda told everyone to get up.
But Pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana tackled Baganda and members of the church disarmed the man and held him down until Metro Nashville police arrived.
“He wanted to kill. That’s what first came to my mind,” Ndikumana told WKRN through a translator.
Police said that Baganda had attended services at the church in the past, but was not a member.
The gunman was charged with 15 counts of felony aggravated assault, the AP reported.
©2021 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/YUGWFZRSC5FDDLVVOQ4ODEE6C4.PNG)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/22BMTROT4FAZXC7X2BOOIWTVE4.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SCZF257AZRAIJKCKOZEW3AK3ZU.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/X5EPQWOWDBEJVAJ25S4WWPTW7U.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XAZCBABBDM4QXVQ7LY6DV7TUEQ.jpg)