Gunmen in South Africa have kidnapped a U.S. missionary from his church as he was delivering a sermon, police and a colleague mentioned Friday.
Pastor Josh Sullivan was kidnapped late Thursday on the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell outdoors the coastal metropolis of Gqeberha in what seemed to be a kidnapping for ransom, a colleague advised AFP.
Kidnappings, together with by felony gangs that focus on folks for whom massive ransoms will be demanded, have been growing in South Africa in recent times.
“It’s alleged that whereas a sermon was performed on the church, 4 armed and masked male suspects entered the church,” police mentioned in a press release. “They robbed two cell telephones after which took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene.”
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Division told the BBC that they have been conscious of the kidnapping of an American citizen in South Africa.
Rev. Jeremy Corridor, a pastor additionally based mostly within the southeastern metropolis, advised AFP the kidnapping was most likely “financially associated.”
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge mentioned protocol dictated that after a ransom was demanded, the case can be handed over to the Hawks – a specialised police unit that investigates organized crime, financial crime, corruption, and different critical crimes.
“As I perceive, there was no ransom raised,” mentioned Beetge, urging anybody with data to come back ahead.
Sullivan was holding a prayer assembly with about 30 folks, together with his spouse and 6 kids, when the armed kidnappers entered, Corridor mentioned.
“They knew him by identify,” he mentioned. They took him at gunpoint and compelled him into his automotive and drove off. The deserted automotive was recovered a couple of mile from the church.
Sullivan arrived in South Africa together with his household from Tennessee in November 2018, in keeping with his personal website.
“We wish to end language college quickly and plant a church to the Xhosa talking folks,” he writes on his web site.
Sullivan has been on the employees at Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, since February of 2012, in keeping with the web site.
“Please pray for Josh Sullivan, missionary to South Africa,” the church wrote on its Fb web page.
As they await Sullivan’s secure return, supporters flocked to the pastor’s private weblog web site and different social media platforms to supply their well-wishes.
“We at the moment are praying that you simply delivered from these evil males,” a poster named Richard Stockton mentioned on the church web site. “Praying the Holy Spirit effectively work on their hearts and be saved. And launch you!!!”
One other supporter known as Kody Moore mentioned Josh was a “devoted brother doing a lot to make Christ recognized in Africa.”
“Please pray for Josh to be introduced residence safely and particularly his household throughout this positively horrible time. Might Christ be magnified,” he tweeted on X.
The police anti-gang unit mentioned a Chinese language nationwide was additionally kidnapped Tuesday within the metropolis, which is on the Indian Ocean and about 570 miles southeast of Johannesburg.
There have been greater than 17,000 kidnappings in South Africa within the 2023-2024 monetary yr, an 11-percent improve over the earlier yr, in keeping with police statistics.
South Africa has additionally been affected by escalating gun violence. Every day, 33 individuals are killed by weapons in South Africa, in accordance Gun Free South Africa, a nonprofit advocating for diminished gun violence.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
