A teenager armed with a rifle tries to enter the church where 60 children are gathered for their first communion

The quick response of parishioners nearly averted a tragedy when an armed teenager arrived at a Louisiana church with dozens of children inside.

“We are always in God's hands.”

One day before the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord and two days before the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 60 children gathered at the Church of St. Mary Maddalen in Abbeville, Louisiana, to receive their first Communion. However, the celebration of the sacrament was brought to an abrupt halt during Saturday's Mass when parishioners saw a suspicious person dressed in black, later identified as a teenager, with a rifle.

Video of the live-streamed Mass was shared by KADN and captured the moment a man approached Father Nicholas G. Dupré to inform him of the apparent threat, as law enforcement from the Abbeville Police Department and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office had responded to a call about the suspect. that members of the parish had been taken outside and detained until the authorities arrived.

After the priest could be seen processing what he was told, he asked those present to be seated before leading the parish to pray a series of Hail Marys. As he did, police could be seen moving around the church, sweeping the building for any additional threats.

“The First Communion was going on as normal and then the police came in with guns drawn. People started running to get their kids and they told us to get down,” Liz Touchet, an assistant at the mass

According to a statement from Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy, “Upon arrival, officers arrested the suspect and took him into custody. Officers from the Abbeville Police Department and the Parish Sheriff's Office Vermilion conducted a sweep of the church to ensure there was no additional threat and confirmed no one was injured.”

At this point, Dupré and other members of the clergy could be seen huddling behind the altar as the scene became more and more frightening with screams of fear coming from off-camera and servants being seen of altar running from one side to the other of the church.

After several tense moments, a voice was heard informing those of the Catholic Church: “All right, guys. Just pick up your son. Go slow. We've got a young man in custody. He's in custody. He's in police custody. Calm down.” t and stand next to your child and go slowly.”

By Saturday afternoon, the church and Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel of the Diocese of Lafayette had released statements with the former saying in part, “This morning, our First Communion ceremony was interrupted when a suspicious person went open the back door. The individual was immediately confronted by the parishioners, escorted outside and the police were called. The individual was quickly taken into custody by the Abbeville Police Department.”

“Once arrested, law enforcement entered the church to ensure there was no further danger. This understandably caused panic. While we realize it was a terrifying experience for those attendees,” the church reported, “we are incredibly grateful to both parishioners and police officers for acting quickly to ensure everyone's safety.”

Likewise, Deshotel expressed: “We are grateful to God that a tragedy was avoided at the First Communion Mass for the children of Santa Maria Magdalena in Abbeville. The quick response of the Abbeville Police Department and alert parishioners is a great example of caring for the most vulnerable in our community. We pray for an end to all threats of violence against innocent human life.”

The Abbeville Police Department identified the suspect as a 16-year-old white male who was questioned in the presence of a parent and charged with terrorism and two counts of possession of a firearm by a minor. It was also detailed that he was being held at Abbeville General Hospital's Behavioral Unit for medical evaluation.

Saturday's near-tragedy came less than a week after a man was seen entering Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, where he allegedly pulled the trigger of a gun aimed directly at the pastor below the “spirit” guide. The gun failed to fire.

Gunman moved by 'spirits' caught on camera trying to shoot shepherd, who is miraculously unharmed https://t.co/1PkDgcE8f8 road @BIZPACRevision

— Based on BPR (@DumpstrFireNews) May 6, 2024

During Monday morning's Mass, Dupré took note of the timing of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima and his own reaction to praying the Hail Mary during the incident and reminded his parishioners, “We are always in the hands of God.”

Staff writer

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College, where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and seeker of truth, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and dog, and when he's not researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel ·the.

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