SPOKANE, Wash. — A security camera captured the moment a priest was attacked Tuesday evening, according to church staff of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on February 4, around 350-400 worshippers at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes were in the middle of mass when Joshau James Sommers stood up in a pew and charged towards Rev. David Gaines.
Sommers ran up onto the alter and threw a punch that Rev. Gaines was able to dodge.
Father Darrin Connall was kneeling at the front of the altar when the attack took place.
“I thought it was kind of that situation where the guy was just running in the sanctuary, but clearly it had the potential to be much more violent, and in that sense, much more scary. It took me a while to realize that this was pretty serious,” he said.
According to Rev Connall, multiple bystanders and the church’s security guard helped pin down Sommers until police arrived.
He said although no one was hurt, the congregation’s sense of security has been shaken.
“I must say, all of us were pretty shaken. You don’t expect to see something like that when we gather to pray and worship,” Rev. Connall said.
Sommers was booked into the Spokane Police Department and charged with third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, and fourth-degree attempted assault.
“Right after they escorted him out, we all prayed for him. We just stopped the service and prayer for him, because again, whatever demons he was struggling with need to be healed,” Rev. Connall said.
According to court records, Sommers was charged with third-degree assault in 2023.
He is set to appear in court on February 6.
Father Connall said the church hired additional security for Wednesday evening.
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