A New York City bishop was in the middle of his sermon on Sunday when he was robbed at gunpoint.
It was about five to 10 minutes after Bishop Lamor Whitehead of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries began preaching when three or four men entered with guns.
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“I said, ‘All right, all right, all right,’ pretty much stating that I’m not going to do anything because I know you’re coming for me. You’re coming straight to me. I don’t want my parishioners hurt. I’ve got women and children there,” Whitehead told CBS2.
The church’s livestream video shows one gunman approaching Whitehead.
“As I got down, one went to my wife and took all her jewelry and had the gun in front of my 8-month-old baby’s face,” Whitehead added. “Took off my bishop’s ring, my wedding band, and took off my bishop’s chain, and then I had chains underneath my robe and he started tapping my neck to see if anything else. So that means they knew. They watched, and they knew that I have other jewelry.”
Whitehead said the church’s deacons had guns pointed at them as they stood by the door. About 100 congregants were in attendance during the service and fell to the floor.
“My church is traumatized. The women and children are still crying. Babies are still crying,” Whitehead said.
The bishop said he believes the robbers targeted him after he helped turn in the suspect wanted in the deadly subway shooting of Daniel Enriquez earlier this year.
“I turned him in, but the media called me ‘the bling, bling bishop.’ They had my Rolls-Royce car all over everywhere, and I feel that that played a part in this,” Whitehead noted. “I think all pastors should be able to get permits for pistols.”
He called for the robbers to turn themselves in, saying he forgave them and was praying for them.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s office issued a statement, saying: “No one in this city should be the victim of armed robbery, let alone our faith leaders and congregants worshiping in a House of God. The NYPD is investigating this crime and will work tirelessly to bring the criminals involved to justice.”
No one was reported to be injured.
