It was the second day of the 2020 Women of God Through Promise Conference at True Cornerstone Church in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, when the “devil…showed up in a deadly way,” according to Pastor Derek Scott Gandy.
“Pray for True Cornerstone Church. Tragic incident tonight after a Holy Ghost blow out service that I cannot discuss at all but your prayers are greatly appreciated. Cannot answer or respond. Have to wait around to secure our building. Thanks in advance for your prayers,” Gandy wrote in a series of Facebook posts early Saturday morning. “Arrived home about 30 minutes ago trying to wind down and get some sleep. Women Of God Through Promise was much more anointed than the devil desires and he showed up in a deadly way. Cannot go into specifics or names but please pray for those who witnessed what no one should, especially children.”
The Mobile Police Department said in a statement that at approximately 11:23 p.m. on Friday, they responded to the church on Halls Mill Road after receiving a report about a person being shot. When they got there, they saw a woman on the ground who had been apparently shot.
The suspect involved reportedly fled the scene as police arrived. He was pursued by authorities and subsequently returned to the church. As officers approached his vehicle, however, the suspect shot himself. His car then crashed into the church. He was pronounced dead on the scene while his wife was taken to a local hospital where she is recovering.
Friends of the woman told WKRG that the man came to the church looking for his wife and just shot her outside.
Pastor Gandy, who said both the shooter and his wife were friends of his family, was not available to discuss the incident with The Christian Post on Monday. His wife, Kula, told WKRG that as soon as the victim was shot, she started praying right away.
“She was calling on Jesus, even with the bullet in her she was calling on Jesus,” Kula Gandy said.
Despite the tragedy, she insisted the devil did not get the victory he was seeking.
“The Devil is not going to get the victory, at all, he is not going to get the victory,” she said. “To be able to come and pray for her and see she was already looking up that she was already praying that she was already calling on Jesus I already knew Jesus was going to take care of her.”
Kula Gandy said she is thankful that the shooter did not crash his car into their packed church or shoot his wife multiple times along with others.
“I’m still alive, that young lady is still alive,” she said, noting that the tragedy has strengthened her faith.
“I can’t preach faith if I don’t live by faith, cannot preach determination if you don’t live by it,” said Derek Gandy added.
The MPD has not yet formally released the names of the couple involved in the shooting.
