NATION : Gunman Robs Congregation
PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Churchgoers lying on the floor prayed for themselves and the gunman collecting their wallets during a holdup in the middle of a Baptist service.
The man, carrying a sawed-off shotgun, made off with credit cards, checkbooks and at least $500 in cash Sunday morning from more than 130 members of the Faith Way Baptist Church.
Mary Gregory, the pastor’s wife, said the gunman, wearing sunglasses and a stocking mask, came in through the basement and walked up the steps to the back of the sanctuary.
“He had a gun and he said, ‘This is a holdup. Everybody get down,’ ” Gregory said. “Everybody was down and they were praying and he was going around the pews and taking billfolds and purses and things.”
As he left, the gunman told the congregation to pray for 15 minutes before getting up.
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