Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

“I Love Him’: Father of Hero Who Stopped Tennessee Church Shooting ‘Proud’ of His Son

Photo: Fox 17
Photo: Fox 17
Share Tweet
By Faithwire Staff
Author

September 27, 2017

The father of the Tennessee church usher being hailed a hero for confronting a gunman on Sunday spoke out, saying he’s proud of his son.

After the shooting at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, when James Engle first saw his son, 22-year-old Robert Engle, he thought he’d been shot.

“I’m seeing my son’s face was covered in blood,” James Engle told Fox 17. “I’m sitting here, thinking, ‘dadgummit, I think he got shot’.”

READ: Heroic 22-Year-Old Made a Key Decision That Stopped Deadly Tennessee Church Shooting

Robert Engle was pistol whipped as he confronted the suspect shooter. The shooter shot himself during the struggle, and Robert Engle then went to his car to retrieve his gun.

The usher stood over the gunman until police arrived, and authorities praised him, saying his actions may have saved lives.

James Engle held back tears of pride when speaking of his son.

“I love him,” James Engle said. “I sit and think, what if, what if he [the shooter] had pulled the trigger? Cause he had the gun pointed at him. But yeah, I’m proud of him.”

Photo: Fox 17
Police credited Robert Engle, 22, for stopping a shooting at a Tennessee church Sunday.

Engle’s former employer said it’s not hard to believe that Engle took action.

“Some of the people he was close to here have talked to him, and he said it was just an instinct– just a reaction,” Engle’s former employer, who did not wish to be named, told Fox 17. “Just something he did out of impulse, which is not surprising. It’s just kind of who he is.”

John Lott, author of “More Guns, Less Crime,” told Fox News that Engle, who has a permit to carry a handgun, is proof that guns can help to reduce crime.

“The states that have had the biggest increase in concealed carry permits have had the biggest relative drops in violent crime and murder,” Lott told Fox News. “For each additional percent increase that you have in concealed carry permits, you have about 1 half percent drop in murder rates.”

Gunman opens fire at Church of Christ Burnette Chapel on Pin Hook Road. 1 woman dead in parking lot…6 other innocents shot… pic.twitter.com/yuwjfGPjXs

— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 24, 2017

One woman was killed in the shooting and several more injured.

Robert Engle posted a statement, asking for prayers for the victims and their families.

“I’ve been going to this church my whole life, since I was a small child. I would have never, ever thought something like this would have happened. I ask everyone to pray for the victims, family members of the victims, our church community. Please pray for healing. Also, please pray for the shooter, the shooter’s family and friends. They are hurting as well. I pray that through all of this that people will come to know Christ and I ask our nation to reflect on Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” When complimented about his heroism he stated: “I do not want to be labeled a hero. The real heroes are the police, first responders and medical staff and doctors who have helped me and everyone affected. My hope is for privacy for all involved.”

A judicial commissioner has ordered that Emanuel Samson be held without bond pending further court proceedings. pic.twitter.com/Ig7VLvIw1W

— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 25, 2017

BREAKING: Alleged church shooter Emanuel Kidega Samson is being transported to jail. pic.twitter.com/Hdhzt5dkh4

— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) September 24, 2017

The suspected shooter, 25-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson, was treated at a local hospital and is being held without bond on felony murder charges, police said.

(H/T: Fox 17)

Latest

  • News

    ‘Proof That God Is Faithful’: Premature Baby Raises Hand as Father Sings Gospel Song to Him

  • Israel

    Ancient Writings Referring to King David Confirmed on Stone in Louvre Museum

  • Faith

    ‘We Need Prayer’: Save the Storks Prepares for New Life-Saving, Post-Roe Battle

  • culture

    Ex-Psychic’s Alarming Warning to Parents About Witchcraft, Evil, and the Occult: ‘Shows How Deceptive the Devil Is’

  • News

    Arkansas Law Would Give New, ‘More Accurate’ Name to Child Pornography


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • ‘Proof That God Is Faithful’: Premature Baby Raises Hand as Father Sings Gospel Song to Him
  • Ancient Writings Referring to King David Confirmed on Stone in Louvre Museum
  • ‘We Need Prayer’: Save the Storks Prepares for New Life-Saving, Post-Roe Battle
  • Ex-Psychic’s Alarming Warning to Parents About Witchcraft, Evil, and the Occult: ‘Shows How Deceptive the Devil Is’
  • Arkansas Law Would Give New, ‘More Accurate’ Name to Child Pornography

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?