Clarence McCallister, the deacon who tackled an armed man in a North Braddock, Pennsylvania, church Sunday, explained his actions by saying, “My Pastor’s life was in danger.”
FOX News quoted McCallister commenting on his motivations, noting that he was operating the camera the church used to record the sermon when the gunman attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany.
McCallister said, “I heard it click, and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, thank God that gun jammed.'” McCallister then sprinted toward the gunman, identified as 26-year-old Bernard Polite, tackling and subduing him.
A church service was interrupted when a man pulled a gun on the pastor. @EmilieIkedaNBC has more from the pastor and the deacon who leapt into action to disarm the gunman. Warning: These images may be disturbing. pic.twitter.com/1Ra0MFsmma
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 6, 2024
WTAE reported that police subsequently searched Polite’s residence, where they found the body of Derek Polite. Police believe Derek was shot and killed just hours before Bernard went to the church where he was tackled after his gun jammed.
ABC News noted that Derek was Bernard’s 56-year-old cousin.
Bernard has been charged with homicide in connection with his cousin’s death and allegedly confessed to wanting to kill the pastor because “God told him to do it.”
WATCH: Man Attempts to Shoot Pastor During Sermon, Gets Tackled
Glenn Germany / LOCAL NEWS X /TMXAWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, and a pro-staffer for Pulsar Night Vision. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Beef is his favorite vegetable. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at
