Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church Pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana believed there was nothing else to do but to tackle the man waving a gun during his Sunday service.
Speaking through a translator on “Fox and Friends First,” Ndikumana explained that his options at the time were to either disarm the gunman, or die. (RELATED: Gym Manager Tackles Gunman Who Was Angry About Maskless Patrons)
“When I saw the person that was waving the gun, I saw that we were already dead. In my mind, I was thinking that there was nothing else to do, except there was only either leave or die.”
“God gave me the strength to do that because if somebody’s already pointing a gun on you like that, probably there’s nothing else to do,” he said.
Ndikumana’s translator, Nzojibugami “Noah” Noe, witnessed the whole event. He said to Fox News’ Carley Shimkus that the Pastor’s actions were “incredible” and “brave.”
“That was something that I was never expecting. I was shocked myself, and then seeing my pastor going behind him. It was just brave.”
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
The gunman, Dezire Bagana, 26, attended the service at Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church when he pulled out the firearm, walked up to the alter, and pointed the gun at the congregation demanding they “get up,” Fox 17 Nashville reported.
At the time, Pastor Ndikumana was at the alter praying with members of the congregation when he made the snap decision to tackle the gunman and disarm him. Congregants assisted the Pastor in holding Bagana down until law enforcement arrived, according to Fox 17 Nashville. (RELATED: Suspected Shooter Who Gunned Down Texas Pastor, Inured Two Others Arrested)
Noe shared that although he doesn’t know the gunman personally, he had seen him a couple of times because they would occasionally play soccer together.
“But we don’t know and don’t understand why he would do such a thing,” Noe said.
