Teenager Arrested After Attempting to Enter Church with Rifle During Communion Mass (Video)

A 16-year-old teenager was apprehended by parishioners and police after attempting to enter St. Mary Magdalen Church in Abbeville, Louisiana, during a Holy Communion Mass on Saturday, May 11.

The incident occurred while the Mass was being livestreamed, and around 60 children were inside the church.

The suspect, dressed in black and armed with a rifle, tried to enter the church through the back door but was confronted by parishioners and escorted outside. Police arrived promptly and took him into custody. The church was then swept to ensure there was no further threat, and no injuries were reported.

Watch the video below;

The suspect was charged with terrorizing the church and two counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile. He was questioned at the Abbeville Police Department alongside a parent and later taken to Abbeville General Hospital’s behavioral unit for evaluation.

Police praised the quick-thinking bravery of the church congregation, and Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy thanked the “clergy and parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen Church for their quick response and remaining calm throughout this matter.” The FBI and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office are involved in the ongoing investigation.

Despite the disruption, the communion event continued, and the church expressed gratitude to police and parishioners for their swift response. The church has announced plans to have uniformed law enforcement officers present outside Masses from now on, “out of an abundance of caution.”

GWG.ng reports that this incident comes after a similar incident earlier this month in Pittsburgh, where a man pulled a gun on a pastor during a livestreamed church service.
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