By Nina Golgowski
PUBLISHED:
03:12 GMT, 11 May 2012
|
UPDATED:
04:47 GMT, 11 May 2012
The Daily Mail UK
An 84-year-old church security
guard has been shot dead while watching over a late-night Bible
study class in what police believe was a random attack.
Joseph Lewis was found around
8.45 Wednesday night with his gun still in his holster after two
men approached him outside Victory Way Assembly Church of God in
Christ in Detroit, Michigan and shot him after a brief struggle.
'We were in Bible study and a young man ran into the church and said, "Your guard was shot," Deacon Jimmy Jones told the Detroit Free Press.
Fallen: Joseph Lewis, an 84-year-old church security guard seen on patrol in Detroit, was gunned down Wednesday night while watching over an evening Bible study class
'They don't have no regard
whether it's a church, a party store or your house, they don't
have any regard. They don't have that type of fear anymore,' he
said.
Mr Jones said about 15 church members were in the Bible study class at the time of the shooting.
Emergency crews took the guard to a hospital after a police officer attempted to perform CPR on the man, police said.
No arrests had been reported as of Thursday.
Wilhemina Shumate, who owned a
store across the street from the church, told WJBK that she had only just visited with
Mr Lewis to bring him some corned beef that night when the
shooting occurred.
'He was standing out there, securing the church, and the next minute, he got shot,' Ms Shumate told WJBK
Allison Moore, who was working across the street when the shooting occurred, said she saw the flash from the gun that drew her outside.
'By the time I made it across the street, he was already gone,' she told the Detrot Free Press. 'I saw two men standing close next to him, and then I saw a flash.'
Though Mr Lewis had only worked
at the church for less than a year, according to Ms Moore, he
had a strong bond with the community around him.
'He was a veteran. I found out through conversations with him. He served in the US Army,' church member and friend of Mr Lewis, TJ Lewis, who's of no relation, told the paper.
'This man, 84, looking to do something right. He didn't come out here to try to hurt anybody. He didn't bother anybody. He was out here minding his own business trying to help,' Joseph Phillips, JR who knew Mr Lewis, expressed his outrage to WJBK.
The church hired security about
three years ago due to concerns about crime, Mr Jones said.
On Thursday, church members met
to decide whether to fence the lot or install cameras.
'We're going to be looking at it
today, things that will give us more security around there,' he
said.
The church said they have offered to hold memorial services for him and are awaiting to hear back from his family.
Watch the video here:
Elderly Security Guard Shot to Death Outside Detroit Church: MyFoxDETROIT.com