A priest in Brazil is accused of purposely running over a man suspected of stealing clothing from a church. Upon finding out about the robbery, the priest bolted out of a wedding that he had officiated.
Father Gustavo Trindade dos Santos, 37, was officiating a wedding on Saturday in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, according to the Daily Mail.
The bride revealed her experience with the priest to Brazilian news outlet Metropoles, “I didn’t know him, but he was super attentive – he laughed, he joked with us before and during the ceremony.”
“He told me to stay calm, that I was supposed to breathe, that everything was going to be all right,” said Tatiane de Fátima.
The priest officiated the wedding, but during the reception, he found out about a man suspected of stealing three hooded sweatshirts and a t-shirt from the São Sebastião Church’s parish house. Instead of taking his own advice of staying calm, the priest reportedly got in his white sedan and chased after the suspected thief.
Security camera video allegedly shows the moment that the priest mows down the man with his vehicle. The car is seen reversing and then speeding away. Trindade reportedly ran over 40-year-old Angelo Nogueira on the sidewalk.
Nogueira survived the car attack, and is recovering at a hospital.
Brazilian police charged the priest with attempted murder. The priest was reportedly on the run for two days before turning himself into authorities.
The church has already cut ties with the priest for the violent vigilante justice.
The leadership at the church released a statement.
“Fr. Gustavo is deeply dismayed and sorry for the tragic outcome, and calls on all the faithful to pray for the life of Mr. Angelo Nogueira, who is recovering in the ICU of Santa Casa in the city,” the statement reads, according to Brazilian news site O Antagonista. “Even he who guides his community by the Word of God and through the priesthood is not free from errors and sins.”
The bride found out about the hit-and-run by the priest when police showed up at the church to investigate the crime during her wedding celebration.
The bride noted that she had a memorable wedding, “Whether you like it or not, this will end up marking the history of my wedding day. There’s no way around it.”
(WARNING: Graphic video)
Padre atropela ladrão que tinha roubado a paróquia
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