An incredible video showing a pastor tackling a man who pulled a gun in a church in Tennessee has gone viral.
The clip shows pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana lunging at Dezire Baganda, who was brandishing a gun on the church’s altar as congregants looked on in horror.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said the pastor’s heroic actions saved the congregation of the Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church from violence on Sunday afternoon.
In a statement, police said Baganda, 26, was sitting at the front of the church during the service when he pulled out a gun and approached the altar.
Baganda then allegedly told everyone to get up while pointing the gun at the crowd.
Before any harm could come to the congregation however, Ndikumana grabbed the gunman from behind. Several churchgoers assisted Ndikumana in de-escalating the situation.
Baganda was held to the ground until police arrived.
Police said he is now facing a total of 57 charges of felony and aggravated assault.
Dezire Baganda, the man accused of pulling a gun during Sunday's service @ Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church, is now facing a total of 57 cts of felony agg assault; 42 new warrants were issued today. No shots were fired; a pastor tackled Baganda & held him for officers. pic.twitter.com/q0Pctqnp9D
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) November 9, 2021
Speaking to WKRN, Ndikumana said: “I would say that God used me… I felt a feeling that I would go and grab him and that’s what happened.”
He added: “God wanted to show that he is a powerful God but one main thing I said - we had faith.”
While Baganda was not a member of the church, the pastor said he had attended services before.
He was allegedly previously asked to leave the church for interrupting pastors while they were speaking.
