Three people were stabbed on Saturday at a church in Virginia in the course of a Bible study session.
Those who were stabbed during the Bible study session by the alleged member of the congregation include the church’s pastor and an area police chief who happened to be in attendance.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at about 3 p.m. at the church, about 25 miles west of Washington, D.C. when a member of the church stabbed the church’s pastor who was leading a Bible study class at the time.
Those who reportedly came to the aid of the pastor include Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler who happened to be at Grace Covenant for the session.
A witness who spoke to the media said:
“He did his part in the moment. Sometimes we can’t prevent injury. I know people were injured but it could have been worse, I do believe. I think it could have been a lot worse. There are a lot of emotions but I do have faith that everything is going to be okay.”
The unnamed suspect has since been taken into custody
According to reports, Ed Roessler, a 31-year law enforcement veteran has been in a leadership position with Fairfax County Police since 2010 and also worked at the most recent presidential inauguration in 2017.
Releasing a statement following the chaos, Brett Fuller, another pastor at the Grace Covenant Church and chaplain to Washington, D.C.’s NFL franchise, said:
“Today, in a routine church educational setting, one of our pastors was assaulted by an attendee.
“Two church members came to the pastor’s aid and valiantly risked their own lives to defend him. In the process, one of our members was injured. The pastor and one of the members are being treated at Reston Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The other member involved sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. The assailant was taken into captivity at the scene.
“We are in prayer for all the injured. We are grateful for the courage exhibited that prevented worse from happening. Lastly, we want to thank the broader community for their outpouring of concern and support in this time.
(C) The Street Journal
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