US Pastor is said to kidnapped in South Africa saved, 3 dead: police

• An American pastor allegedly kidnapped by a group of armed men during a worship service in South Africa has been rescued
• Missionary Josh Sullivan, 45, was found in a vehicle in a safe house on April 15, five days after he is believed to have disappeared
• The South African police service said the pastor was rescued after a “high -intensity firearm” that left three dead

An American pastor who was alleged Kidnapped by several armed men during a service in his church in South Africa has been rescued, according to local police.

Missionary Josh Sullivan, 45, was found in a vehicle in a safe house in the city of Gqeberha on Tuesday, April 15. People previously reported that he is believed to have been abducted on the evening of April 10 in the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, outside Gqeberha.

On one statement The South African police service (SAPS) was released on April 16, said the pastor was rescued after a “high -intensity firearm” that left “three unidentified suspects” dead.

The authorities said that officers approached the safe house where Sullivan is alleged to be held and discovered a vehicle in the premises, according to the statement.

“The suspects in the vehicle, after seeing law enforcement, tried to escape and opened fire to the team,” Saps said. “The officials responded with tactical precision, which led to a high -intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were deadly wounded.”

After being found “miraculously undamaged” in the vehicle, Sullivan “was immediately assessed by medical personnel” and is currently in “excellent condition.”

“As the investigations continue, we respectfully request integrity for the victim and his family when they navigate in this recovery period,” added the statement.

The BBC and AFP (Via CBS News), with reference to the local police in South Africa, reported that the alleged kidnapping took place when “four armed and masked male suspects entered the” church during a sermon.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge told the BBC that the men were alleged to stole two phones before fled from the stage in Sullivan’s silver Toyota Fortuner. The police later found the vehicle abandoned without trace of Sullivan.

Pastor Jeremy Hall, a pastor in the same city, told AFP (via CBS News) that the alleged kidnapping was probably “financially” motivated. He claimed that it took place during a prayer meeting that participated by about 30 people, including Sullivan’s wife and six children.

“They knew him by name,” Hall said about the men who were said to kidnapped Sullivan.

On April 10, Tennessee-based Fellowship Baptist Church split a Facebook Posts asking for prayers for Sullivan.

“Pray for Josh Sullivan, missionary to South Africa,” the church wrote in a statement. “He was kidnapped with weapons by six men during their worship tonight.”

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This was followed by a post During the early hours of April 16, Sullivan’s rescue commented.

“Praise the Lord!” The church wrote when they reworked a post from Tom Hatley, a pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Tennessee.

“Josh has been released,” Hatley wrote. “Thank you for your support and prayers. Don’t stop praying for Sullivans.”

People previously reported that Sullivan has been employed by Scholarship Baptist Church Since February 2012, training under Hatley. The following year, he accepted “The call to go to the mission area in South Africa”, before he arrived until November 2018, the church said in a social media post.