PD: Pastor disarms man with gun during service

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – Metro Police praise a North Nashville pastor for stopping a man who pulled out a gun while in church on Sunday morning.

Police said 26-year-old Dezire Baganda was sitting at the Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church on Trinity Lane. When police said Baganda, with a firearm in hand, walked up to the altar where several parishioners and the pastor were praying.

Baganda was waving the gun around when, according to police, he told everyone to get up and “pointed the handgun at the congregation.” That’s when police said the pastor “quickly tackled Baganda” before he was able to fire his weapon.

Many of the church members assisted the pastor as they worked to disarm Baganda and hold him to the ground until the arrival of the police.

Baganda was not a church member, but the pastor told police that he attended previous services.

Police have charged Baganda with 15 counts of felony aggravated assault. Police added that multiple counts are expected to be added at the first of the week.