Minister shot in front of Grant Hill church

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – A pastor was shot while sitting in a car on Sunday night, and on Monday night, a prayer service was held at the church.

Charles Robertson and his buddies in the Retirees Club meet right around the corner from the where the church is located. On Sunday night, he said gun play crossed the line.

“Even the bad people don’t go to a church with a gun to do nothing at a church. Just bewildering to me, really bewildering,” he said.

It happened in the parking lot of the Greater Apostolic Faith Temple Church in Grant Hill after a church dinner.

Pastor Dwayne Shepherd was sitting with another minister in a car talking after 8 p.m., when a man came up to the passenger side where Shepherd was sitting, and fired four shots into the car.

One bullet grazed the pastor’s chest, and went into his arm. The other three lodged in the door-frame.

The suspect ran. He left the gun behind.

The pastor was treated and released from UCSD hospital, and is expected to recover.

“He tries to save souls, he’s got heart, a lot of heart,” said parishioner Brenda Summer. She was one of several who came to pray for her pastor and her church.

She says he’s amazing at what he does.

“He goes out into the community and tries to help people find out what they are going through, and he finds out ways to reach out to them. He’s just a wonderful pastor,” she said.

Police did release a description of the suspect.

He is a black male in his 20’s, five feet, ten inches tall, and about 160 pounds. He is described as thin, wearing a black baseball cap and black clothing.

Police have increased patrols in the area.

“I just thank God, thank Jesus, that it didn’t go any worse than that,” said Brenda.

Pastor Shepherd has been with the church since 1998. His executive assistant told KUSI News he is a compassionate man who would give the clothes off his back to someone in need.