Pastor Josh Sullivan was kidnapped during a church service in South Africa by armed men. Despite police recovery of his vehicle, he remains missing. The case is being investigated by the elite Hawks unit, with no ransom demands made thus far. Sullivan has been in South Africa since 2018 for missionary work, and his family is actively seeking assistance from US authorities.
An American pastor, Josh Sullivan, was kidnapped during a church service at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, Gqeberra, located within the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The incident occurred on a Thursday evening when four armed and masked men entered the church, stealing two phones before fleeing in Pastor Sullivan’s vehicle, a silver Toyota Fortuner. Although the car was later recovered abandoned, law enforcement has yet to locate Mr. Sullivan.
Local authorities, including police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge, confirmed that the case has been transferred to the Hawks, South Africa’s specialized elite police unit focused on organized crime and high-level corruption. According to Hawks spokesman Lt. Col. Avele Fumba, law enforcement is pursuing all potential leads to both find the pastor and apprehend the suspects involved in this incident.
Jeremy Hall, a spokesperson for the Sullivan family, reported that Mr. Sullivan’s family was present at the church during the kidnapping and noted that the assailants appeared to know who he was. Sullivan’s mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, expressed her heartfelt distress on social media, stating that efforts by their congressman and the American embassy were underway to locate her son. Despite the situation, there have been no ransom demands reported according to local media.
Josh Sullivan, who moved to South Africa with his family in 2018 to serve as a church planting missionary, has emphasized his commitment to establishing a church for Xhosa-speaking individuals on his personal website. Alarmingly, police statistics show a 264% rise in kidnappings in South Africa over the past decade, highlighting the growing concern regarding the safety of individuals in the region. This incident follows closely after the kidnapping of a Chinese national in Gqeberra just a few days prior.
The kidnapping of Pastor Josh Sullivan during a church service in South Africa raises significant concerns about safety and security for expatriates in the region. As local authorities, including the Hawks, intensify their search efforts, the incident underscores a troubling trend, as indicated by rising kidnapping statistics. Sullivan’s family remains hopeful for his safe return, supported by both local and international efforts.
Original Source: www.bbc.co.uk
