Pastor uses martial arts training to fend off axe-wielding man attempting to burglarize church
A California pastor employed his martial arts training to fend off an axe-wielding burglar who broke into a church on Thanksgiving morning. The pastor subdued the suspect until police arrived, ensuring the safety of the church's property, as reported by local law enforcement.
The incident occurred at the First Family Church in Antioch, California, early Thursday when the church’s alarm system was triggered, prompting Pastor Nick Neves to head to the scene, News Nation reported.
Upon arrival, Neves found a man attempting to break into the church by smashing its windows with an axe. Rather than flee, the intruder opted to confront Neves, leading to a physical altercation in the church parking lot.
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Neves, whose background includes training in mixed martial arts such as jujitsu and kickboxing, managed to subdue the suspect until police officers could take the man into custody.
“I shouted at him to stop, and that police were on their way, and he ran and I grabbed a hold of him, and we ended up wrestling in the parking lot of the church,” Neves told NBC News.
The pastor added that his martial arts training helped him control the situation without causing significant harm to the intruder. “I was able to pin him to the ground, and he got up and tried to get away several times, but basically just trying to wear him out because I knew I could outlast him,” he recounted.
The Antioch Police Department confirmed the pastor’s account in a Facebook post. “When the burglar saw his wicked deeds had been discovered, he decided to fight with the pastor instead of repent. What he did not know was the pastor would win this battle of good and evil,” read the post, which also referred to scripture, “But the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
No injuries were reported from the incident.
According to WKRC, the suspect was actively using the axe to break windows of the church when Neves arrived. The police later arrested the individual on-site.
“It’s just ironic. If he had come a couple of days earlier, he would have been blessed and get some food and be cared for,” the pastor was quoted as saying. The church had recently completed a community project aimed at helping those in need. “But he decided instead to smash windows and desecrate property and do something that's going to hurt the ministries,” Neves added.
The suspect’s motive for breaking into the church remains unclear. Authorities haven't disclosed whether the individual was under the influence of any substances at the time of the incident.
The First Family Church was left with broken windows but otherwise remained intact.
