A pastor in Baytown, Texas shot a man who tried to rob his church and then told him to ask the Lord for forgiveness while he lay on the floor bleeding.
Pastor Benny Holmes was sleeping in the Church of New Beginnings on Tuesday morning when intruder Lee Marvin Blue Jr., 27, broke into the church at around 6:15 and tried to steal church property.
"I just want the public to know that this was a robbery," Holmes told ABC13 Eyewitness News. "He broke in the door, had laptops in his hand."
Holmes said he was awoken when he heard a loud noise coming from the hallway of the church. The pastor got his 9mm semi-automatic pistol and went to investigate. He found Blue carrying a large box filled with electronics taken from the church.
Holmes said he asked the burglar to put the box down.
"I commanded him to stop twice, and he didn't," Holmes said. Instead of complying, Blue rushed toward Holmes.
"So fearing for my life, I did what I had to do [shot him]," he said. The bullet pierced the intruder's right shoulder, causing him to collapse on the floor.
After shooting him, Holmes called 911 to report that he had just shot a man who broke into the church.
While he was still on the line, Holmes asked the bloodied Blue, "Do you know Jesus?"
He told him to repeat after him and "Say, 'Lord Jesus, forgive me. I have sinned. I repent. Come into my heart. Live inside of me. And I won't do this again. In Jesus' name.'"
Speaking to ABC13, Holmes said he led the burglar "through the sinner's prayer while he was on the floor. He repeated the sinner's prayer after me. And that was about it. I'm going to go visit him."
This was the second time that the pastor was able to stop a criminal. In September last year, he held a woman at gunpoint at his front porch for stealing delivered packages.
The report said Blue has criminal history dating back to 2005 including trespassing, burglary and assault.
After the incident, Blue was brought to the Memorial Hermann Hospital for treatment before he is booked at the police station where he faces charges of burglary of a building.
The Baytown Police said they will not press charges against Holmes.
