x
Breaking News
More () »

​New Haven church hit by gunfire

The Bethel AME Church, on Goffe Street in New Haven, doesn't have many unwelcome guests, but Friday night there was one.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — With violence rising in many cities across the nation, it seems no individual, neighborhood, or business is safe and that includes a New Haven church. 

The Bethel AME Church, on Goffe Street in New Haven, doesn't have many unwelcome guests, but Friday night there was one.

"The police were saying it was a .40 caliber bullet," said Rev. Steven Cousin, as he pointed to a bullet hole in the church's front door. "11 rounds were fired Friday evening at around 11 p.m."

Police told the pastor there were shell casings in the street and in front of the church.

"And one of those bullets it pierced right through the front door, and it traveled," Cousin said as he walked toward a shattered sanctuary window. 

He said pieces of the shattered glass were strewn about the back few rows of the sanctuary. The bullet's final resting place was high inside of a sanctuary wall.

Cousin said he was out of town when he received a text about the incident from the mayor and then an update from New Haven Police.

"The police did say the church was not targeted," he noted. "But it’s still in the back of your mind where we had members that came in on Saturday morning to do our food bank ministry."

Those members were the first to see the startling damage.

"We have several ministries throughout the week," Cousin said. "We are supposed to be opening up our youth camp and are those kids going to be safe?"

A couple of weeks ago, a 16-year-old boy was injured by gunfire on a street corner right by the church.

"We cannot allow fear to dictate how we actually live our lives," Cousin emphasized.

Just two days after Bethel AME was hit with gunfire, they opened their sanctuary to full capacity for the first time since before the pandemic.

----

HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS

Download the FOX61 News APP

iTunes: Click here to download

Google Play: Click here to download

Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTERFACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM

Before You Leave, Check This Out