The father of the Tennessee church usher being hailed a hero for confronting a gunman on Sunday spoke out, saying he’s proud of his son.
After the shooting at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, when James Engle first saw his son, 22-year-old Robert Engle, he thought he’d been shot.
“I’m seeing my son’s face was covered in blood,” James Engle told Fox 17. “I’m sitting here, thinking, ‘dadgummit, I think he got shot’.”
READ: Heroic 22-Year-Old Made a Key Decision That Stopped Deadly Tennessee Church Shooting
Robert Engle was pistol whipped as he confronted the suspect shooter. The shooter shot himself during the struggle, and Robert Engle then went to his car to retrieve his gun.
The usher stood over the gunman until police arrived, and authorities praised him, saying his actions may have saved lives.
James Engle held back tears of pride when speaking of his son.
“I love him,” James Engle said. “I sit and think, what if, what if he [the shooter] had pulled the trigger? Cause he had the gun pointed at him. But yeah, I’m proud of him.”
Engle’s former employer said it’s not hard to believe that Engle took action.
“Some of the people he was close to here have talked to him, and he said it was just an instinct– just a reaction,” Engle’s former employer, who did not wish to be named, told Fox 17. “Just something he did out of impulse, which is not surprising. It’s just kind of who he is.”
John Lott, author of “More Guns, Less Crime,” told Fox News that Engle, who has a permit to carry a handgun, is proof that guns can help to reduce crime.
“The states that have had the biggest increase in concealed carry permits have had the biggest relative drops in violent crime and murder,” Lott told Fox News. “For each additional percent increase that you have in concealed carry permits, you have about 1 half percent drop in murder rates.”
Gunman opens fire at Church of Christ Burnette Chapel on Pin Hook Road. 1 woman dead in parking lot…6 other innocents shot… pic.twitter.com/yuwjfGPjXs
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 24, 2017
One woman was killed in the shooting and several more injured.
Robert Engle posted a statement, asking for prayers for the victims and their families.
“I’ve been going to this church my whole life, since I was a small child. I would have never, ever thought something like this would have happened. I ask everyone to pray for the victims, family members of the victims, our church community. Please pray for healing. Also, please pray for the shooter, the shooter’s family and friends. They are hurting as well. I pray that through all of this that people will come to know Christ and I ask our nation to reflect on Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” When complimented about his heroism he stated: “I do not want to be labeled a hero. The real heroes are the police, first responders and medical staff and doctors who have helped me and everyone affected. My hope is for privacy for all involved.”
A judicial commissioner has ordered that Emanuel Samson be held without bond pending further court proceedings. pic.twitter.com/Ig7VLvIw1W
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 25, 2017
BREAKING: Alleged church shooter Emanuel Kidega Samson is being transported to jail. pic.twitter.com/Hdhzt5dkh4
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 24, 2017
The suspected shooter, 25-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson, was treated at a local hospital and is being held without bond on felony murder charges, police said.
(H/T: Fox 17)