Bernard Junior Polite, a 26-year-old man from Pennsylvania, was arrested after trying to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany during a sermon that was being live-streamed at Jesus Dwelling Place Church in Allegheny County. The incident, which occurred just after 1 p.m., was captured on the church’s livestream, but the gun jammed and failed to discharge. Polite was subdued and disarmed by the church’s deacon and pastor before police arrived and arrested him. Following this attempted shooting, family members went to check on Polite’s wellbeing at his residence and found his cousin Derek Polite, 56, shot dead.
The Allegheny County Police Department was called to the home on Stokes Avenue and found that Derek Polite had been shot once. After further investigation, police determined that Bernard Polite had shot his cousin before going to the church with the same gun. Witnesses reported seeing Polite pacing outside the residence on the morning of the incident, and a neighbor heard a noise that could have been a gunshot around 10 a.m. The firearm recovered at the church matched the projectile found in Derek Polite’s body. Bernard Polite has subsequently been charged with homicide in addition to the original attempted shooting charge.
Authorities are still unsure of the motives behind the shooting of Derek Polite or the attempted shooting at the church. Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns stated that there was no evidence of an altercation in the home Polite shared with his cousin, and it appeared that Derek Polite was shot as he was walking up the stairs from the first floor to the second floor. It is also unclear why the gun jammed when Polite pointed it at the pastor, as he did not have any known relationship with the church. Kearns mentioned that the firearm recovered at the church was believed to be owned by Polite. He is currently being held in Allegheny County Jail pending a preliminary arraignment, and it is unknown if he has legal representation at this time.
A relative of Bernard and Derek Polite, who chose not to be named, expressed their shock and devastation over the incident. The shooting has left their family in a state of disbelief, as they try to make sense of what happened. The community and the church congregation are also reeling from the events that took place during what should have been a peaceful sermon. The investigation into the shootings is ongoing, as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the tragic outcome. Details about the relationship between Polite and his cousin, as well as his potential motives, remain unclear as the legal process moves forward.
