Photo: WLTX19
A South Carolina man remains on the loose after robbing a church and shooting one of its members early Sunday morning.
The horrifying incident occurred just after 6 a.m. when the “lone” gunman barged into Centro Cristiano De Columbia Church on Decker Blvd. where churchgoers were kneeling in prayer, demanding money, Forest Acres Police Department revealed in anews release.
He was armed with a small silver semi-auto pistol.
It is not immediately clear if the suspect was a member of the church.
On Monday, police revealed in apress conferencethat the investigation is ongoing.
The victim was transported to a local hospital at the time of the incident and immediately went into surgery. He remains in critical, yet stable condition, police said in the press conference as of today.
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“He’s got a long ways to go,” police said of the victim, who has since been identified as 23-year-old Esvin Perez. Police said in the conference that he was shot in the torso.
Perez’s brother toldWLTX 19that he saw the gunman sitting inside a car before he entered the church.
He recalled going inside to pray when the suspect kicked down the door and began shooting, according to the outlet.
Despite what happened, Pastor Henry Alfaro said he’s thankful the incident didn’t end with multiple people being injured.
Esvin Perez.COURTESY PEREZ FAMILY
“It was only like a minute and a half, but it seemed like eternity for us,” Alfaro toldFox 57.
“If this had happened during a church service in the evening where families and children are present? It would have been a massacre,” Alfaro told the news outlet.
Forest Acres Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward.
source: people.com
