A Mass celebrating dozens of children’s first Communion at St. Mary Magdalen Church in southern Louisiana was abruptly interrupted on Saturday when a 16-year-old boy armed with a gun entered the building, according to church officials and police.
No injuries were reported during the incident in Abbeville. The church said in a statement that a “suspicious person” opened the back door during the Mass. Parishioners quickly confronted the individual, escorted him outside, and contacted the police. At the time, around 60 second-grade students and their loved ones were inside, preparing to receive the sacrament of first Communion.
The Abbeville Police Department responded to the call about a suspicious person with a gun, arriving at the church to take the teen into custody. The suspect was questioned at the police station with a parent present and then taken to a hospital behavioral unit for medical evaluation. The teen faces charges of “terrorizing” and two counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile.
Rev. Louis J. Richard stated that the teen, who was “suspiciously dressed and armed,” was stopped by parishioners from advancing further into the church after a woman noticed a handgun on his hip. The teen claimed he had learned of a threat to the Mass and intended to stop the supposed attacker, a claim that CNN has sought to verify with authorities.
This alarming event occurred just a week after a similar incident in Pennsylvania, where a man entered a church service, pointed a gun at the pastor, and pulled the trigger. The pastor was unharmed when the gun jammed, and the man was restrained until police arrived.
In Louisiana, video footage from the church’s live stream shows associate pastor Father Nicholas DuPré leading Mass when someone approached and whispered in his ear. Concerned parishioners in the front pews turned to look towards the back of the church. DuPré asked the congregation to sit and join him in repeatedly reciting the Hail Mary prayer as male parishioners moved through the aisles, frequently glancing toward the back of the room.
After the suspect was apprehended, law enforcement entered the church to ensure there was no further danger, which understandably caused panic among those present.
