Clarence McCallister, the deacon who in May tackled a gunman allegedly attempting to shoot Pennsylvania Pastor Glenn Germany in the middle of Sunday service, received the Award for Bravery at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“I want to thank everybody for having me out here. I want to thank Fox News…I want to thank my wife and I got my sisters out here supporting me,” McCallister said after walking onstage to accept the award as the audience gave him a standing ovation. “In America, here, we’re all heroes. We’re all heroes…We all have the heart to do whatever it takes that we need to do.”
The Fox Nation Patriot Awards are “an awards show celebrating patriotism by honoring everyday American heroes who have shown dedication to our nation.” President-elect Donald Trump was present at the ceremony and received the honorary Patriot of the Year award.
On the afternoon of Sunday, May 5, Pastor Glenn Germany of Jesus’ Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock was preaching from 1 Peter 1:3 when a man stepped in front of him and pointed a gun directly at him. The church’s livestream captured the incident on video, showing the pastor being accosted by a man identified as 26-year-old Bernard Polite, whose gun misfired, witnesses said.
Germany flinched and took refuge behind the pulpit. Deacon Clarence McCallister was behind the camera and leapt from behind it, tackling Polite. With the help of Germany and another congregant, McCallister subdued the gunman and took his firearm.
“I heard it click, and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, thank God that gun jammed,’” McCallister said. “[Germany] ducked down, and the guy’s going after him. That’s when I leaped up out of that chair and went after the guy. I put his arms to his sides so he couldn’t move, turned him around and sat him down.”
Afterward, Germany said, “I’m thankful to God that I’m still here because [Polite] definitely pulled the trigger.” The pastor called McCallister a “hero.”
Reports indicate that Polite’s mental health was suffering. “He said that it was spirits that was talking to him,” said Germany. “It was spirits that told him to come and shoot inside the church.”
After the altercation at the church, Polite was charged with criminal homicide in relation to the death of his cousin, Derek Polite. Authorities believe Derek was killed the same morning Bernard Polite allegedly attempted to shoot Germany; ballistics evidence showed the same gun was used in both cases.
In a video that played during the ceremony prior to McCallister accepting his award, Germany said, “Anyone who knows Clarence, they know when he actually jumped into action, that was not out of character. Everybody knows that he’ll help you. He’s always been there for me.”
In the video, McCallister commented, “Without the courage of God, I could not have done it.”
During his acceptance speech, McCallister thanked “everybody who was supporting me in the city of Pittsburgh…everybody that’s in Pittsburgh that been supporting me for a long time and all the good things they’ve said about me.”
The deacon was also recently awarded the Carnegie Medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
After McCallister accepted the Award for Bravery from Fox Nation, Pastor Glenn Germany joined the deacon onstage. “How everybody doing out there?” Germany asked. “Good to be alive! Yeah. I thank God—I thank God for protecting me and watching over me.”
“I thank God for keeping his angel, hallelujah?” Germany said, placing his hand on McCallister’s shoulder. “Having him making sure that nothing happened to no one else inside our building. So I’m really grateful. I truly thank the Lord for protecting me.”
“Today is a day of thanksgiving,” McCallister continued. “I’m thankful for my lovely wife who is here with me and she’s always been a anchor for me and I’m just so grateful to have her in my life.” The pastor went on to thank Pennsylvania leaders and added that he wanted “to give a deep sincere, true sincere word for our president, Mr. Donald Trump. We are so glad to have you back. We are so glad.”
“And truly, I understand what it means for someone to make an attack on your life that is [unwarranted],” Germany continued, “and my deepest apologies goes out to you and your family. I’m so glad that you are here today.”
“I just want to say, it’s all about love. The young man who attempted that, I forgave him and it’s all about us loving,” said the pastor. “These young men, young women who’s going through mental illness, they need our help, and I’m just praying today that we can work together and show them love.”
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