Pastor Getting Ready to Celebrate Birthday Dies After He Accidentally Shoots Himself While Cleaning His Gun
A week of celebration turned to shock and despair for a North Carolina church Saturday when their beloved pastor, who they had toasted earlier in the week and was getting ready to celebrate his birthday, wedding anniversary and the founding of his church, accidentally shot himself in the chest as he cleaned his gun at home.
Bishop Phillip Davis of Nations Ford Community Church who had preached the Gospel for 40 years before his untimely death, was found shot inside his Union County home by his wife, Cynthia, according to WCNC.
The Union County Sheriff's Office told WSOCTV that Davis' wife called 911 at about 1:10 p.m. and said her husband had shot himself. She found him collapsed at his desk and paramedics later pronounced him dead at the scene.
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"Based on the preliminary investigation and interviews at the residence, it does appear that this was an accidental shooting," Chief Deputy Ben Bailey noted in the report.
Bishop Davis reportedly contacted his adult son earlier Saturday morning to say he was going on a trip to the firing range and invited him to come but his son was unable to join him. The pastor took to cleaning his pistol after that and it accidentally fired, hitting him in the chest.
"Bishop Davis was a prolific, focused man of vision as well as an effective leader who served God selflessly and touched countless lives. His teachings were profound and transformative. His passion was to help people reach their fullest potential in Christ and to 'occupy their destiny,'" said the church Davis founded in 1988 in a statement on his death.
"On behalf of the members of Nations Ford Community Church, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the Davis family. The Bible says, 'Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,'" it continued.
Davis, who was born on Aug. 30, 1952, would have been 63 on Sunday.
"Today was going to be a huge celebration for all of us," church spokesperson Jacinda Garabito told WCNC on Sunday. "The congregation, family, friends, and it's just a huge shock. You feel the spirit in here. It is a very sad day. It is a very heavy day."
When asked how the pastor's wife was doing, Garabito said: "Holding up as well as she possibly can at this point. We're just praying for her and their three kids."
A prayer vigil is scheduled to take place at the church at 7 p.m. Monday.
"We would like to encourage everyone to honor his memory by reflecting on his many words of encouragement and his many acts of love and service," the church added in their statement on Davis' death.
