Man arrested after attempting to shoot Pittsburgh pastor during Sunday sermon

Bernard Junior Polite's firearm malfunctioned, and Glenn Germany escaped without injury.

The incident, which took place shortly after 1 pm, was caught on the church's Facebook Watch livestream.

"You were once in darkness," the pastor told his flock. "You were in a whole different kingdom than God, and God–."

At that point, Polite walked up to the front of the church and jumped the barrier separating the congregation from the pastor. He pulled out his firearm and aimed it directly at Germany, who ducked behind the lectern.

The gun jammed and no bullet came out.

"Jesus!" Deacon Clarence McCallister screamed before jumping over the barrier and tackling Polite to the ground. Germany then emerged from behind the lectern and wrestled the weapon out of the hands of the man who had just moments earlier tried to assassinate him.

While McCallister took the gun away from the scene, Germany remained on top of Polite, pinning him to the ground. Other members of the congregation leaped into action, working together to call the police and secure the scene.

Officers showed up a short time later and took Polite into custody. He was subsequently charged with attempted homicide.

“He pulled the gun; it clicked,” Germany said in an interview with WPXI. "You heard him shoot it. God jammed the gun so the bullet didn't come out."

He noted that while they were on the ground, Polite told him that "spirits" had told him to commit the crime, and apologized.

"I told him that, 'I forgive you and want you to know I love you'," Germany explained. "I definitely forgave him."