During a prayer service in Spokane, Washinton, a strange man ran up and attacked a Catholic priest. This chaotic event occurred at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes when the "disturbed gentleman" punched Rev. David Gaines.
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Video footage captured the shocking attack during their second night of the Lourdes Novena for Healing. Authorities later identified the suspect as a 40-year-old man whom other churchgoers restrained before the cops arrived.
Man Attacks Priest During Healing Prayer Service
The police arrested him on suspicion of misdemeanor assault, according to a Spokane police spokesman, as per NBC News. According to Gaines, people took him off the street and brought him to the ceremony. They did this in hopes that he could "find some healing from whatever he's struggling with."
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the healing worked for this man. The church's livestream captured the moment when the attacker flew at Gaines. The priest managed to gain the advantage and hold him down before others helped to subdue the man.
One voice from one of the witnesses told the attacker to "calm down." They then attempted to make him relax by saying "It's OK, buddy, it's all right."
Soon after, the priest leading the prayer, Re. Darrin Connall, called for security. They managed to handcuff the attacker and escort him out.
Connall then gave a prayer for the "disturbed gentleman" and continued the service with the suspect in his thoughts. He also thanked everyone who "stormed the sanctuary" to aid the priests when the man sprang on Gaines.
So far, the police have no idea why the man attacked the priest. Gaines remembered giving the bishop his prayer card and kneeling when the man started charging at him. "We made eye contact right at that moment," said Gaines to NBC News. "He looked very upset and kind of intense."
The priest described it as something he never "expected to happen as a priest." But looking at it glass-half-full, Gaines gave some of his insight on the bizarre situation. "God allows these sorts of things to happen, and then we want to figure out how to use it for some good."
