Pastor shoots, wounds intruder at Detroit church

DETROIT — A retired police officer-turned-pastor shot and wounded a man who broke into his Detroit church, police said Monday.

Lawrence Adams went to Westside Bible Church on Sunday evening and found the intruder inside the building, said Detroit police Sgt. Eren Stephens. The man began swinging an object at the retired police lieutenant, who pulled out a handgun and shot him in the abdomen, he said.

“The pastor identified himself as a retired policeman. The guy kept swinging,” Adams’ wife, Iris, told The Associated Press Monday. The pastor, who was not injured, was licensed to carry the handgun, police said.

Police have not released the alleged intruder’s name but said he was being treated at an area hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Iris Adams said the church’s security company called her at home Sunday after a burglar alarm at the building was triggered. She telephoned her husband, who went to the church with his sister, she said. The nondenominational church has had burglars in the past.

“Normally, they would break out one of our windows,” Iris Adams said. “Our alarm has always gone off.”

Lawrence Adams retired in 2006 after 25 years with the police department and was promoted to senior pastor at the church, where the couple had been members for several years, in 2007, his wife said.