The Fairfax County Sheriff was at the church at the right time.
Several people were injured during a Bible study session on Saturday afternoon when an alleged member of the congregation stabbed the pastor of the church before being arrested by the area’s chief of police who was present.
The incident occurred Saturday afternoon around 3:00 p.m. at Grace Covenant Church in Chantilly, Virginia, about 25 miles west of Washington, DC, when a church member stabbed the pastor of the church he led. a Bible study class at the time.
Two church members reportedly came to the pastor’s defense, including Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler, who was at Grace Covenant at the right time.
A witness to the stabbing spoke to WJLA, an affiliate of ABC News in Washington DC, and described the chaotic scene.
“He did his part in the moment,” said the witness. “Sometimes we cannot avoid injury. I know people were injured, but it could have been worse I think. I think it could have been much worse. There are many emotions, but I have faith that everything will be fine. ”
According to WJLA, Ed Roessler is a 31-year-old police veteran who has been in a leadership position with the Fairfax County Police since 2010 and also worked at the most recent presidential inauguration in 2017.
Brett Fuller, another pastor of Grace Covenant Church and chaplain of the NFL franchise in Washington, DC, released a statement after the stabbing.
“Today, in a routine church educational setting, one of our pastors was assaulted by an assistant,” said Fuller. “Two members of the church came to the pastor’s aid and bravely 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-fatal injuries. The other member involved sustained injuries that did not require medical attention. The assailant was taken into captivity on the scene. “
Fuller said: “We are in prayer for all the wounded. We are grateful for the courage displayed that prevented something worse from happening. Finally, we want to thank the community at large for their great concern and support at this time. ”
Two people were treated for non-serious, life-threatening injuries at nearby Reston Hospital and the unidentified suspect was detained.
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