Pastor, Church Members Heroically Defend Others in Shooting

A pastor and church members are being hailed as heroes after they stepped in to help prevent more violence in a church shooting.
James Junior Minter entered Oasis Tabernacle Church in East Selma, Alabama and sat down in the front row, in between his ex-girlfriend and their infant son.

SRN News reports that Minter then pulled out a handgun and opened fire on his ex-girlfriend and son. The woman was hit in the jaw and shoulder, while the baby was
hit in the hand. Police say Minter was involved in a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend which is the likely motivation for his attack.

Earl Carswell, Pastor of Oasis Tabernacle, sprang to the scene of Minter's attack and grabbed Minter. Minter then shot Carswell in the leg, but other congregants grabbed Minter and wrested his gun from him. Minter then fled from the church.

District Attorney Michael Jackson praised the bravery of Carswell and the other church members. “A whole lot more people could have been shot,” he said. “They all played a heroic role.”

Minter was captured by police less than a mile away after he fled the church. Police stated that Minter had been accused of assault in the past, but for unstated reasons, the case was thrown out.
Minter is being held in the Dallas County Jail.

Church violence has been escalating and many worry that churches will have to implement tighter security measures.
“We’ve reached the point where all churches are gonna have to have cameras and check for weapons,” Jackson said. “That’s the way society is going now. It’s the world we live in now.”

Carswell, as well as the woman and the baby who were injured in Minter’s attack, are all in stable condition.
Photo courtesy: Wikipedia