Parishoners at the The Door Christian Fellowship Church in East Melbourne, Australia are more thankful than usual for their pastor. Last Sunday, Les Snodgrass tackled a robber who pulled a BB gun and knife with intentions of robbing people during his sermon. Talking to Fox News, Snodgross said that the alleged robber, 21-year-old John Grace, frequently attends the church.
Grace first allegedly attempted to hold up Snodgrass' mother and wife with the BB gun. He then demanded money from the wife and motioned for the woman to start tying up her children with cable ties he threw on the ground. While this was occurring, Snodgrass was speaking to Grace through a microphone and later stepped off the platform near the altar. When he was about two inches away from the offender, Grace pulled out a butcher knife. Then Snodgrass' son came to help.
"I tried to divert his attention away from my mother, I kept calling out to him, 'Johnny, Johnny, what are you doing?' I just pushed against the wall with all my might, I had him by the shoulders, and as soon as I did that, my son leapt from the platform into the air and pounced on him. He punched him twice in the head," Snodgrass told The Live 5 News.
Grace was arrested and charged with armed robbery and 20 additional crimes. The entire incident was captured in the church's audio recording.
"I'd like to say I made a conscious choice to do something but the next thing I know, I had him pinned against the wall," Snodgrass said.
Grace appeared in court on Monday and a judge denied bond but assessed a $70,000 bond the remainder of the charges..
"We prayed after the whole thing was over. I gathered my family at the church, and we all held hands and prayed and forgave him on the spot. Absolutely, but Grace will face justice and he should," Snodgrass told to 10 TV.
Snodgrass also told Fox News that from now on, he will be "armed and ready for a moment like that" while at church.
