Burglar caught breaking into cars shoots at church members

GASTONIA, N.C. — A burglar pulled out a gun Friday night when he was caught targeting cars in the middle of a church service at the Skekinah Glory Temple of Deliverance in Gastonia off of Highway 321.

One of the members stepped outside and saw the man with a flashlight looking into cars when a member of the church security team came outside and followed the man down the sidewalk.

The man threatened to kill him, then fired a shot.

Security cameras from the laundromat across the street captured the incident in the parking lot after that first shot.

The alleged shooter could be seen in a blue jacket with his face covered, calmly walking away.

He looks back and sees someone from the church following him.

He took off running and police said he fired three more shots.

"He's got a blue jacket on,” a caller told 911 dispatch. “He got blue jeans on. He (is) shooting at folks."

Determined members of the church continued to follow the man as he darted off into a community nearby.

"He is running behind the house over here,” the caller said. “Behind the fence over here."

Neighbor James Davidson heard this shots.

"Three shots. Pow, pow, pow. About like that," he said.

He was stunned to hear the man who reportedly fired the shots was shooting at church members.

"I think that's pretty sorry,” Davidson said. “You can't get much lower than that."

Police shut down the street, but they could not find the shooter.

Davidson was thankful no one was injured.

"When they catch somebody like that, thought ought to put him (in) jail and throw away the key," Davidson said.

The preacher said he stayed at the pulpit as shots rang out outside.

He said he has faith in his security team and now he hopes police can find that shooter.

Cox Media Group