Africa-Press – South-Africa. A pastor was shot dead and three church congregants were injured when six armed men stormed into Eagles Christian Centre in Newlands, Johannesburg, on Friday night.
The drama was captured on a live stream of the service and in the footage, people can be heard screaming.
According to Deacon Justin Faver, who was at the church when the shooting happened, the gunmen “seemed drunk” and, once inside, ordered everyone to lie down.
“They shouted we should all lay down, and no one should pray. They then fired shots into the sky,” Faver said.
“Others said we should give them our phones and money while we were laying on the floor.”
Faver told News24 that Pastor Dwayne Gordon, who had been invited as a guest speaker, was shot.
Faver added:
He (Gordon) was sitting down, looking at the suspects, so they shot him. They shot him because he was looking at them. Three other people, including my friend, were also shot. He said that his friend had been praying so the gunmen shot at him and the bullet hit his cheek. He was taken to hospital.
“The congregation is still in shock. We will be heading back to the church to see if we can clean the blood there,” he added.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said police were investigating three cases of attempted murder and a murder case.
On Saturday morning, Blessed Generation Church took to social media to acknowledge Gordon’s death, which was followed by multiple messages of condolences to the pastor’s family.
According to Faver, when they went to report the incident to the police, the stolen cellphone was traced to a nearby tavern.
Poster announcing gunned down pastor Dwayne Gordon’s visit.(Facebook)Supplied Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident in Kathrada Park, near Sophiatown, a group of men reportedly entered a tavern and started shooting randomly at patrons before driving off in a white bakkie.
Three people were killed and eight were taken to hospital.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela condemned the incidents.
Police are investigating four cases of murder, and three cases of attempted murder.
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