Jesse Gates With Shotgun Disrupts Church Service, Disarmed By Congregation

BOILING SPRINGS, S.C (AP) -- A shotgun-toting man kicked in a church door during Sunday services before being disarmed by congregants who saw the armed man coming through the church windows, locked the doors, and sprang on him after he burst inside, sheriff's deputies said.

No one was hurt at the Southside Freewill Baptist Church in Boiling Springs, a community in Spartanburg County.

Deputies charged Jesse Gates, 38, with burglary, disturbing a place of worship, and attempted kidnapping. The kidnapping charge was lodged because Gates allegedly pointed his weapon at the church pastor, resulting in his being restrained, Spartanburg County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Tony Ivey said.

Congregants spotted Gates approaching across a parking lot and locked the doors, Ivey said. When Gates kicked in a side door, a half-dozen members hiding in the wings jumped him, Ivey said.

Gates told reporters as he was led away in handcuffs to a patrol car taking him to jail that his children had been taken away and he was trying to get someone to listen to him. Gates said he asked the church for help, but was frustrated.

"I've been praying, begging," Gates said. "They won't let me see my children. I tried everything. What can you do?"

Gates' sister, Amanda Gates, 34, was charged with providing her brother with the shotgun and driving him to the church.

Gloria Gates said her son Jesse had been attending the church for a short time. Gloria Gates said she spoke to her daughter Amanda, who told her she didn't know what Jesse planned.

Spartanburg County Sheriff's deputies said no one was hurt Sunday at the Southside Freewill Baptist Church in Boiling Springs.

Deputies charged Gates with burglary, disturbing a place of worship, and attempted kidnapping. The kidnapping charge was lodged because he allegedly pointed his gun at the pastor.

Officers charged 34-year-old Amanda Gates with providing her brother with the shotgun and driving him to church.

Gates told reporters as he was led away in handcuffs that his children had been taken away and he was trying to get someone to listen to him.

Comments

[R1OT]

05:30 AM on 04/04/2012

*sigh*

Before many of you clicked the "post" button did any of you even look into this story? Ever heard of Aaron Guyton? He was there...he also had a gun. In fact, Mr. Guyton is a concealed carry permit holder and was armed the day Mr. Gates decided to storm a church with a shotgun. So, why was this key piece of information missing from the Huffington Post? I wonder...maybe because it doesn't fit the agenda? Maybe because nobody wants to read a story about how a man with a gun (who is not a cop) saved a bunch of people from bad gun with a gun?

That's right people, guns save lives.

*gasp!*

Yup, you read correctly...if you think for a second that you can hop on that high moral horse and post statistics and facts about how guns kill people but omit the ones about how guns save people then you are sadly mistaken. You will run into people like me to set your closed-minded, anti-gun bias mind straight.

Aaron Guyton...etch him into your skull like you do with George Zimmerman.

[Zakk Weathersby]

12:16 PM on 05/14/2012

If an armed congregate of this church did in fact stop this shot gun wielding mad man then you shouldn't compare him to george zimmerman. "Aaron Guyton" or whoever stopped this guy is a hero and deserves much more respect then george zimmerman.

[ttsgw]

09:46 AM on 03/30/2012

He was just practicing his divine right, given to all Americans by God an constitution, to carry a firearm, and should not be interferred with by man.

[SueZbell]

07:16 PM on 03/29/2012

SC likes their guns and bibles.

If he REALLY wanted to SEE his children that might have been in the church,
had he come in w/o the shotgun and sat down, he likely could have--albeit briefly.

[DrJon]

03:00 PM on 03/29/2012

In Pennsylvania he could have kidnapped kids and taught them how missionaries are persecuted.

[michelesda]

09:35 AM on 03/29/2012

Well I guess they'll listen to him now, as soon as they have read him his rights and given him his one phone call.

[Rocktopus]

10:26 PM on 03/28/2012

HP naturally doesn't mention the pastor's grandson, who had a concealed carry license, did the lion's share of the work in securing the congregants, using his gun.

[Nick Mages]

10:54 AM on 03/29/2012

Gun lobby's drones are out again. Jk, your point is valid.

[kmclawson70]

03:08 AM on 03/28/2012

Well I think he has just proven to everyone that he a sane, stable man who definitely deserves his kids back.

/sarcasm tag

[gandalf7531]

08:50 PM on 03/27/2012

"I've been praying, begging," Gates said. "They won't let me see my children. I tried everything. What can you do?"

For starters, how about not kicking down the door of a church and entering it with a shotgun. That would probably be a good start!

[anitaroosevelt]

05:24 PM on 03/27/2012

That guy is 38 ? Seriously?

He looks closer to 58 and not a good 58 at that.

Do you suppose this wasn't his best side? : >

[Dham4201]

07:23 PM on 03/27/2012

crystal

[anitaroosevelt]

07:49 PM on 03/27/2012

Ahh..... Thanks . I didn't think of that.

[Joe Bigg]

05:06 PM on 03/27/2012

Why is it always guns and churches?

Silly things always seem to go hand in hand.

[grayplace]

04:50 PM on 03/27/2012

Must be that "Ole Time Religion" !

[NC Democrat 12]

04:49 PM on 03/27/2012

This kinda blows a hole in the theory that "religion doesn't hurt anyone".

[Tom Joad]

03:16 PM on 03/27/2012

"...and the LardGah'dA'mighty looked down upon me
and sayeth He
'you've got to ask thineself one question...
...dost thou feel lucky?
Well, dost thou, punk?..."

[plegal06]

11:24 AM on 03/27/2012

S.C SMH

[Hillbilly49]

10:40 AM on 03/27/2012

I'm surprised one of the folk didn't shoot up the church.