Pennsylvania man who pointed gun at pastor during sermon now charged with cousin's murder
A 26-year-old Pennsylvania man who pulled a gun on a pastor during a livestreamed Sunday church service is now charged with murder in a relative's death officials said took place earlier that same day.
Bernard Junior Polite, of North Braddock, a Pittsburgh suburb, is charged with one count of criminal homicide in connection to the Sunday morning fatal shooting of his cousin, 56-year-old Derek Polite inside a home where both men lived, The Allegheny County Police Department reported.
North Braddock, a borough in Allegheny County, is about 9 miles southeast of downtown.
The suspect was initially arrested Sunday after Pennsylvania State Police said he entered Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock about 1 p.m. and attempted to shoot preacher Glenn Germany during his sermon. The firearm failed to discharge, troopers reported.
No one else was injured.
Bernard Polite faces multiple charges
Court records show Bernard Polite is charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in connection to that case.
After family members saw reports of the melee at the church, police said, they went to the home where he lives with his cousin “to check on his wellbeing” and found the cousin dead.
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Cousin shot while 'walking up stairs': Police
Police responded to the home at 8:15 p.m. and found the cousin fatally shot, county police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said during a Tuesday news conference.
Kearns said it appears Polite shot his cousin as he was "walking up the stairs from the first floor," and then went to the church.
Kearns said police were investigating a motive in the fatal shooting and it does not appear the shooting suspect had any connection to the church.
Suspect seen pacing outside his home prior to shooting
Through witness interviews, detectives learned Bernard Polite was seen pacing outside the home the morning of the fatal shooting, and someone reported "hearing a noise which could have been a gunshot" about 10 a.m.
Following the scene at the church, a firearm was recovered by troopers, police reported. It was later determined the projectile recovered from the homicide victim matched the same firearm seized by state police.
Video shows suspect point gun directly at pastor in pulpit
Video obtained by USA TODAY shows a man in a black T-shirt walk directly toward Germany as he preaches, pull out a firearm and aim it directly at him.
Immediately, a church congregant runs up behind the armed suspect, tackles him and Germany and another churchgoer help disarm the suspect on the ground.
Polite was jailed without bond pending a preliminary arraignment hearing on Wednesday, online court records show.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.