A man in Texas, equipped with a loaded firearm and over 100 rounds of ammunition, engaged with a security guard at a Houston church before firing shots, as reported by the police.
Emmanuel Asono Mbwabi, 23, faces two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to court filings.
On March 15, Mbwabi entered Eden Church, where a Sunday service was taking place at the Post Entertainment Center in downtown Houston.
Court documents reveal that a member of the church’s security team recognized him. Mbwabi had been asked to leave about two months prior after distributing “concerning” leaflets.
This history prompted the pastor to request the security team to monitor his presence.
One security guard reported witnessing Mbwabi with a backpack, tailing the pastor into the bathroom repeatedly and then blending into the congregation.
During an encounter with another pastor, a security guard noticed a handgun grip visible in Mbwabi’s pocket, as indicated in the court records.
That guard claimed to have seen Mbwabi reach for his firearm, which made him concerned for the safety of both the security team and the churchgoers.
Mbwabi was reportedly holding a mobile phone and counting down, raising alarms among the security personnel that a bomb might be set to detonate.
Church members helped restrain him along with the security team.
As he fell to the ground, Mbwabi allegedly shouted that the pastor was a “false prophet” and called himself a “prophet called Warlock.”
Additionally, he had a notes application open on his phone that contained details regarding the murder of the church pastor.
In his possession, Mbwabi was carrying a .22 caliber revolver with six live rounds, along with over 100 more rounds stashed in his backpack.
