A man accused of attempting to kill a pastor during a Pennsylvania sermon has been charged with the unrelated murder of his cousin. Bernard Junior Polite, 26, allegedly entered a church in North Braddock, drew a handgun, and aimed it at the pastor, but the gun misfired, leading to his arrest.
Deacon Clarence McCallister, who was livestreaming the service, witnessed the incident and tackled the suspect along with the pastor. Polite claimed he intended to kill the pastor to clear his mind in jail, stating he was hearing voices that encouraged him to commit murder.
Authorities revealed that the gun used in the church incident was the same weapon used to fatally shoot Polite's cousin, Derek Polite, at a nearby home. Bernard Polite now faces murder charges in addition to attempted homicide, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment.
Witnesses reported seeing Polite smiling as he was being restrained, claiming he was possessed by spirits. McCallister emphasized the seriousness of mental illness and the need to address it effectively.
Public records show that Polite has ties to New Jersey, and both McCallister and the pastor confirmed they had never seen him before the incident. Polite is currently held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail and is expected to be arraigned on the murder charge soon.
