A pastor in Winnipeg narrowly avoided being stabbed during a church service, and the entire incident was caught on camera.
The attack took place around 6 p.m. on Sunday at Holy Ghost Parish on Selkirk Avenue, Canada.
In a viral video, a man is seen walking towards the altar before suddenly speeding up to approach the pastor. He appears to try grabbing the pastor, who quickly runs away.
According to a police statement on Monday, the 38-year-old pastor managed to escape unharmed. The attacker then stabbed the altar before sitting down in a chair further back.
“This is a very rare incident, and everyone involved is quite shaken,” said Winnipeg police spokesperson Constable Stephen Spencer. “Nobody expects to face an armed attacker when they come to church.”
An off-duty RCMP officer, with help from churchgoers, detained the suspect until police arrived around 6 p.m.
The suspect, a 50-year-old man from Winnipeg, has been charged with offenses related to weapon use and disturbing a religious gathering. He remains in custody. Police also confirmed that he is known to them from previous incidents.
At the time of the attack, the church service had just begun and was being livestreamed. A video shared on Reddit shows the pastor singing a hymn when the suspect, wearing a yellow jacket, moves toward him. The man grabs at the pastor’s robe and raises what appears to be a knife. The pastor screams and runs away. The suspect then stabs the altar before sitting at the back.
Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident.