Disturbed churchgoer attacks priest during live prayer service
A man lunged at a Catholic priest and punched him to the ground during a prayer service while it was being live streamed.
Reverend David Gaines was praying next to the bishop and other clergy members at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington, when a man wearing hooded sweatshirt dashed onto the chancel.
The video recording shows the rogue churchgoer throwing a punch at Gaines, the parochial vicar who was able to dodge it, and the two falling to the floor as three clergy members try to pull the attacker away.
Several other man run to the chancel to attempt to separate them as other churchgoers stand up in disbelief.
A ‘disturbed’ churchgoer attacked Reverend David Gaines in the middle of a prayer service (Pictures: Facebook)
A security camera captured the moment a priest was attacked Tuesday evening (Picture: Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral)
‘Calm down,’ a witness can be heard saying. ‘It’s OK buddy, it’s alright, it’s OK.’
More than a minute later, the assailant is restrained on the ground and walked off the chancel with two men holding him by each of his arms. He was placed in handcuffs.
Reverend Darrin Connall, the rector, continued the service with a prayer for ‘that disturbed gentleman’. He concluded it by thanking individuals who ‘stormed the sanctuary’ to assist with the disturbance.
The man was arrested and has been charged with assault and trespassing, Connall added.
The man confronted Reverend David Gaines at the chancel
The attack happened during a prayer that was live streamed on Tuesday night (Picture: KXLY)
Gaines was not hurt in the scuffle and he and another bishop ‘are both doing well’, according to the church.
‘Thank you for all of your concerns and thank you for joining us again for this evening’s Novena,’ wrote the church on Facebook.
It happened on Tuesday on the second night of a nine-day prayer series called the Lourdes Novena for Healing.
Churchgoers returned on Wednesday night for night three, during which Connall said, ‘We’re fine, just a little shaken from last night but today helped, it was a troubling event last night.’
Reverend Darrin Connall continued the prayer after the attack (Picture: Instagram/@diospokane)
Connall also joked that Gaines should wear a bandage like President Donald Trump did after he was grazed in the ear in a July assassination attempt.
‘I asked Father Gaines to process in tonight with a square bandage over his ear, I would’ve done it but Father Gaines has more integrity,’ the rector said, drawing laughter.
The assailant, who has not been identified, was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, according to KREM.
Reverend David Gaines was not injured (Picture: Instagram/@diospokane)
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes is in Spokane, Washington (Picture: Tripadvisor/CATTSAR)
It is not the only recent instance of an attack during a religious gathering.
In May, a man pointed a gun at a Pennsylvania pastor during a live streamed service and a hero deacon tackled him. The pastor then helped wrestle the suspect and he was arrested.
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