Pastor Ministers to Robbery Suspect He Helps Capture at Gunpoint

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Pastor
Pastor Ministers to Robbery Suspect He Helps Capture at Gunpoint

By: Brad Linzy

(Evansville, IN) – It was reported on Friday by authorities that local Pastor Carl Sanders was able to stop a robbery in progress at the Dollar General Store at 720 Lincoln Avenue in Evansville by brandishing his legal firearm.

According to eyewitnesses, 25-year-old Jermaine Marshall was attempting to hold up the store with what he claimed was a gun inside a plastic bag when Sanders entered the store. According to Sanders, that’s when the robbery suspect came at him.

“He was telling me to get on the ground,” said Sanders. “That’s when I pulled my weapon and say, ‘No, you get on the ground.'”

The suspect complied and Sanders was able to subdue him until police arrived.

“He didn’t deserve to be hurt. I just wanted him to know you can’t do this,” Sanders said.

The weapon the suspect was holding later turned out to be a plastic spoon.

Sanders, who works as a Pastor at Covenant Life Ministry and also ministers through Community Marriage Builders, said he got a brief opportunity to minister to the young man during the episode and intends to go the extra mile.

“[I’m] going to go visit him this week in jail,” Sanders said. “Share some more of this great word of God!”

Marshall is being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail on charges of armed robbery and strong armed robbery with injury.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. Saw a comment on FB where someone actually said they thought this Pastor lacked faith because he carried a gun. Agree? Disagree?

    • The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Bless it is he who in the name of charity and good will, shepards the weak through the valley of darkness for he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the lord, when I lay my vengance upon you!

      Ezekial 25:17

  2. Scripture allows the use of lethal force in defense.

    I don’t think a man’s faith toward God is weak because he take responsibly for his own security any more than he is weak because he takes responsibility for his needs by working.

    This minister handled the situation perfectly in stopping the young man but committing to minister to him also. Most likely it will change this man for the better, and that would likely not have happened without the threat of lethal force.

    However, unless the minister was sure that the robber did not have a firearm, he took a huge risk.

    The minister also used his firearm as most are used in self defense, never fired.

    I am ordained with a CCW and have also used the threat of lethal force to stop a person stealing from me.

    But if one chooses to carry a firearm, the person must also have considered if he/she could take another’s life and life with the consequences of it. One must also know what constitutes self defense, and most importantly, what is not self defense.

    Here is the best site I have ever found on the topic. http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/self-defense.htm

    • We are in agreement on this one. One comment I saw went so far as to say Sanders could “not be trusted” if he didn’t have enough faith not to carry a gun.

      Isn’t that just good preparation, like planting crops in the spring, wearing a seatbelt, or a lifejacket? It is true that given the fact the perp only had a spoon in a bag, no one would have likely gotten hurt even if Sanders didn’t have a gun, but would this guy ever learn his lesson before getting gunned down in some other robbery attempt, or killing someone else next time?

      • One could say that God was watching out for Sanders because he took some huge risks in stopping Marshal.

        Marshal is pretty low on the criminal food chain, basically a mugger. You can not predict what such a person might do, and a mugger will kill you the quickest for the least reason. If he was higher on the food chain, then he would likely have a look out in the store ready to take out one like Sanders. The safest thing to do is to follow the robber’s instructions.

        I’m surprised Marshal didn’t run, but I’m glad for Marshal because I think he just received an incredible second chance.

        Before I enter a store or even walk up to the door, I always observe what is happening inside. If something looks out pf place, no activity or something knocked over to distract one’s attention, I would not enter.

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