HEADQUARTERS WITH MORE WITH THIS NEW TIMELINE FROM POLICE. JASMINE. YEAH. KRISTEN. MIKE. TODAY WE LEARNED FROM POLICE THAT THE MAN SEEN ON VIDEO. POINTING A GUN AND PULLING THE TRIGGER. AT A PASTOR INSIDE A CHURCH ON SUNDAY HAS NOW BEEN CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE AFTER POLICE SAY HE SHOT AND KILLED. HIS COUSIN, 26 YEAR OLD BERNARD JUNIOR. POLITE IS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL HOMICIDE IN CONNECTION TO THE SHOOTING OF HIS 56 YEAR OLD COUSIN, DEREK POLITE. ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE, NOW SETTING A TIME LINE OF EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED ON SUNDAY. WE BELIEVE THAT THE THE SHOOTING DEATH OF DEREK POLITE OCCURRED AROUND 10 A.M. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. UH, LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AT THE CHURCH, IT WAS AROUND 1 P.M. SUNDAY WHEN BERNARD POLITE WAS ARRESTED AFTER POINTING A GUN AT PASTOR GLEN, GERMANY, INSIDE JESUS’S DWELLING. PLACE CHURCH IN NORTH BRADDOCK. IT WAS THIS VIDEO THAT CIRCULATED, PROMPTING FAMILY MEMBERS TO CHECK ON THE WELL-BEING OF DEREK POLITE AT A RESIDENCE. BOTH MEN SHARED. POLICE SAY DEREK POLITE WAS FOUND SHOT TO DEATH WITH ONE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. IT APPEARS THE VICTIM WAS SHOT AS HE WAS WALKING UP THE STEPS FROM THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE SECOND FLOOR. AT THIS TIME, POLICE HAVE NOT DETERMINED A MOTIVE BEHIND THE SHOOTING. IT’S ALSO STILL UNKNOWN. WHY HE ATTEMPTED TO SHOOT PASTOR GLEN GERMANY INSIDE THE CHURCH, THOUGH THE PASTOR TELLING PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR THE MOTIVE HE WAS GIVEN BY DEREK POLITE. I SAID, WHAT MADE YOU DO IT? I MEAN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? HE SAID, I DON’T KNOW IT WAS JUST THOUGHTS COME TO YOUR MIND, THOUGHTS COME IN YOUR HEAD AND YOU JUST DO WHAT THE THOUGHTS SAY. INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE SAME GUN USED IN DEREK POLITE’S DEATH. WAS THE SAME GUN USED INSIDE THE CHURCH. POLICE THANKING THE COMMUNITY AND. AIDING IN BERNARD POLITE’S ARREST. WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THIS CASE TO A QUICK RESOLUTION. THANKS TO THE COOPERATION FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE. BERNARD POLITE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING HIS PRELIMINA
Man accused of pointing gun at North Braddock pastor faces charges in cousin's killing
Bernard Junior Polite is accused of shooting his cousin, Derek Polite
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Updated: 8:57 AM EDT May 8, 2024
Allegheny County police announced criminal homicide charges in the death of Derek Polite, who was found dead Sunday in the home of the man accused of pulling a gun on a pastor in North Braddock. Allegheny County police are now setting a timeline of events that unfolded on Sunday."We believe that the shooting death of Derek Polite occurred around 10 a.m., prior to the incident later on that afternoon at the church," said Allegheny Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns.In a story you saw First on 4, a man, later identified as 26-year-old Bernard Polite, interrupted a church service in North Braddock, pointing a gun at the pastor of Jesus' Dwelling Place Church on Lobringer Avenue.The video circulated and prompted the family of Derek Polite to check on his well-being at the residence, which both men shared. Police say Bernard Polite fired one shot, killing Derek Polite."It appears the victim was shot while walking up the stairs from the first floor to the second floor," Kearns said.At this time, police have not determined a motive behind the shooting. It's also unknown why he attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany inside the church. The pastor did tell Pittsburgh's Action News 4, the motive he was given by Polite. "I said, 'What made you do it?' I mean, 'What were you thinking?' And he said, 'I don’t know, it was just a thought in my mind, thoughts coming to your head you just do what the thoughts say,'" Germany said. Investigators were able to confirm the same gun used in Derek Polite's death was the same gun used at the church. >> Pastor tells WTAE he's not mad with man who pointed gun at him>> Body found in home of gunman who pointed weapon at pastorWatch the full news conference with county police in the video player belowA news release Tuesday said Derek and Bernard Polite were cousins. Bernard Polite is being charged with criminal homicide in this case.
Allegheny County police announced criminal homicide charges in the death of Derek Polite, who was found dead Sunday in the home of the man accused of pulling a gun on a pastor in North Braddock. Allegheny County police are now setting a timeline of events that unfolded on Sunday.
"We believe that the shooting death of Derek Polite occurred around 10 a.m., prior to the incident later on that afternoon at the church," said Allegheny Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns.
In a story you saw First on 4, a man, later identified as 26-year-old Bernard Polite, interrupted a church service in North Braddock, pointing a gun at the pastor of Jesus' Dwelling Place Church on Lobringer Avenue.
The video circulated and prompted the family of Derek Polite to check on his well-being at the residence, which both men shared. Police say Bernard Polite fired one shot, killing Derek Polite.
"It appears the victim was shot while walking up the stairs from the first floor to the second floor," Kearns said.
At this time, police have not determined a motive behind the shooting. It's also unknown why he attempted to shoot Pastor Glenn Germany inside the church. The pastor did tell Pittsburgh's Action News 4, the motive he was given by Polite.
"I said, 'What made you do it?' I mean, 'What were you thinking?' And he said, 'I don’t know, it was just a thought in my mind, thoughts coming to your head you just do what the thoughts say,'" Germany said.
Investigators were able to confirm the same gun used in Derek Polite's death was the same gun used at the church.
>> Pastor tells WTAE he's not mad with man who pointed gun at him
>> Body found in home of gunman who pointed weapon at pastor
Watch the full news conference with county police in the video player below
A news release Tuesday said Derek and Bernard Polite were cousins. Bernard Polite is being charged with criminal homicide in this case.
