FOREST HILL, Texas — A North Texas pastor was killed Monday by an attacker
who rammed a car into a church wall, chased the pastor and beat him with an
electric guitar, police said.
Police in Forest Hill, a suburb of Fort Worth, did not say why the unidentified
suspect attacked the Rev. Danny Kirk Sr., the founding pastor of Greater Sweet-
home Missionary Baptist Church. The suspect, who police used a Taser to sub-
due, also died a short time after being taken into custody. Forest Hill Police
Chief Dan Dennis said the suspect drove his car into a church wall before noon
Monday, apparently on purpose. The suspect got out of the car and began to
attack the pastor in the parking lot before chasing him into the church, Dennis
said. The church secretary hid and called 911, Dennis said. Police arrived to
find the suspect assaulting Kirk with an electric guitar that they believe was
already inside the church, Dennis said. An officer used a Taser on the suspect,
handcuffed him and put him in the back of a patrol car. By then, Kirk had
died, Dennis said. A maintenance worker who tried to help Kirk was injured
and taken to an area hospital. His condition was unknown. Dennis said the
suspect was found unresponsive shortly after being detained and was pro-
nounced dead at a local hospital. Dennis said he didn’t know if the suspect
knew Kirk, attended the church or why he might have attacked the pastor.
Hours after the incident, hundreds of people remained outside the church,
where crime-scene tape was wrapped around a small statue of Jesus near
the wrecked car. Some hugged each other and cried, while others recalled
Kirk as a dedicated minister who also had a bubbly personality and knew
the all names of the several-hundred church members. “He really was con-
cerned about our souls,” Montoya McNeil, a member for eight years, said
as she wiped away tears. “You looked forward to being here. … I’m not ask-
ing God why, because I know where he (Kirk) is, but we won’t get those big
bear hugs and those great sermons anymore.” According to former Forest
Hill mayor James Gosey, Kirk started the church years ago in a strip mall
before building the red-brick church. Kirk was also an unofficial volunteer
chaplain who occasionally counseled members of a local high school football
team, Fort Worth school district spokesman Clint Bond said.
“Our hearts are heavy right now,” said Reginald Wilson, an associate minister
at the church.
