A Texas pastor is thanking God for giving him clarity of mind when he was able to calm down an armed Muslim fanatic who entered his church and threatened to kill people inside.
Upon seeing the intruder in combat outfit entering the church door, Rev. John D. Johnson III, 45, of the Corinth Missionary Baptist Church said he immediately sensed danger. "Every hair on my neck just stood up. It was almost like you could just like feel the presence of just negative energy," he told the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
The armed man, later identified as Rasheed Abduul Aziz, 40, of Jacksonville, was wearing camouflage, camo boots, and tactical vest. He was ushered in by the deacon to the church conference room where Johnson was working.
As Johnson extended his hand, Aziz began his rant, saying he is a "man of Islam" and that demons were chasing him.
"You're here at the church. What can we do for you?" Johnson asked Aziz.
Aziz said his full name and shouted that God authorised him to kill people and added that it was OK for him to kill Christians or Jews who are in conflict with the teachings of Islam, calling them "infidels."
As he showed volatile behavior, the pastor tried to calm him down. As a former parole officer trained in verbal de-escalation and crisis prevention and who has experience dealing with mentally ill offenders, Johnson knew what to do.
"Immediately, just like clockwork, it kicked in," he said about his training.
He placed himself between Aziz and the door to the rest of the church and offered the visitor a cool drink and to pray for him.
"I never gave him the power of feeling that he was in control, that I was frightened," Johnson said. "I just continued to engage, but I was very cautious not to raise my voice or make any quick moves."
The pastor then saw what appeared to be a gun in Aziz's pocket.
He told him that he would take care of him but he just needed to get his kids situated first. He stepped out in the hall and told his wife and a church member that "we got a problem. Get everybody out of the church."
People started getting into their cars and Johnson also decided to leave.
"We can get another church," he told his wife. "We can get more walls, but we cannot get new people."
As they were getting out of the parking lot, church members saw Aziz flashing a peace sign and left.
On Monday, a deacon found a note that Aziz left, thanking the church for its kindness.
"That note was in stark contradiction to what he did in deed and statement," Johnson said.
The Smith County police found Aziz in the Pine Trail Shores subdivision still dressed in camo and was armed with a pistol he was carrying in a shoulder holster.
Aziz was arrested and charged with felony for possession of an unlicensed firearm. He was taken to the Smith County Jail.
