Bishop robbed at gunpoint while delivering sermon on livestream
NEW YORK — A bishop was robbed at gunpoint in the middle of a sermon Sunday in Brooklyn, and it was caught on movie, CBS New York experiences.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead suggests five to ten minutes into the sermon, he saw the door in the back again of the room kicked open up and 3 to four adult males walked in with guns. He believes he was qualified, the station claims. The support was becoming livestreamed.
“I reported, ‘Alright, alright, alright,’ quite significantly stating that I’m not heading to do anything at all due to the fact I know you’re coming for me. You’re coming straight to me. I do not want my parishioners damage. I’ve obtained ladies and small children there,” claimed Whitehead, of Leaders of Tomorrow Worldwide Ministries.
“As I obtained down, 1 went to my spouse and took all her jewellery and had the gun in front of my 8-thirty day period-previous baby’s encounter. Took off my bishop’s ring, my marriage band and took off my bishop’s chain, and then I experienced chains underneath my robe and he began tapping my neck to see if anything at all else. So that signifies they knew. They watched and they knew that I have other jewellery,” he discussed.
The church’s livestream displays the gun getting held on the pastor.
“They experienced guns on my deacons that was at the doorway,” mentioned Whitehead.
What you don’t see on digicam, Whitehead mentioned, are all over 100 congregants who had been in the space. Guys, girls and youngsters dropped to the ground in silence.
“My church is traumatized. The women and children are nevertheless crying. Toddlers are however crying,” stated Whitehead.
According to law enforcement, the men took off in a white Mercedes. Whitehead said cops have a license plate and witnesses saw the adult males alter dresses outside.
“These adult males, they need to have to transform themselves in,” Whitehead claimed. “I forgive you and I’m praying for you, and I hope that God provides you from the mindset of who you are at this time.”
Whitehead thinks his relatives was specific for the reason that of the publicity he obtained when he aided convert in the suspect required in the lethal subway capturing of 48-calendar year-previous Daniel Enriquez in May.
“I turned him in, but the media referred to as me ‘the bling, bling bishop.’ They had my Rolls-Royce caw all in excess of all over the place, and I really feel that that played a aspect in this,” mentioned Whitehead. “I think all pastors should really be capable to get permits for pistols.”
The NYPD is investigating and Whitehead mentioned Mayor Eric Adams and top police brass have referred to as him pledging assistance to obtain the suspects.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the mayor said, “No just one in this metropolis ought to be the sufferer of armed robbery, let by itself our faith leaders and congregants worshiping in a Residence of God. The NYPD is investigating this crime and will operate tirelessly to bring the criminals concerned to justice.”
No a single was harm through the robbery.
