A shocking incident has unfolded in South Africa where an American pastor, Josh Sullivan, was kidnapped by armed men during a church service. The incident occurred on Thursday evening at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, a township in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
According to Captain Andre Beetge, police spokesman, four armed and masked male suspects stormed the church while Sullivan was conducting the service. The men stole two phones and fled the scene in Sullivan's silver Toyota Fortuner, which was later found abandoned. Unfortunately, there was no trace of Sullivan.
The case has been handed over to South Africa's elite police unit, the Hawks, which investigates serious crimes. "The police are currently following all possible leads to locate the victim and apprehend the perpetrators," said Hawks spokesman Lt Col Avele Fumba.
Jeremy Hall, the Sullivan family's spokesman, was present at the church with his family during the incident. He revealed that the kidnappers knew Sullivan's name. Sullivan's mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, expressed her heartbreak on Facebook, stating that the US embassy and congressman are working to find him.
This incident highlights the growing concern about kidnapping in South Africa, with a 264% increase in cases over the past decade, according to police statistics. Recently, a Chinese national was also kidnapped in Gqeberha, raising further concerns about safety in the area.
The US State Department has confirmed awareness of the situation, prioritizing the safety and security of US citizens abroad. With no ransom request made, authorities are working diligently to locate Sullivan and bring the perpetrators to justice. Sullivan, a church planting missionary, had moved to South Africa in 2018 to establish a church for Xhosa-speaking people.
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