An Arizona religious leader is fighting for his life after being shot in the head earlier this week while preaching on a street corner in Glendale.
Hans Schmidt, 26, an army medic and Christian father of two, was shot Wednesday around 6:15 pm in the area of 51st Avenue and Peoria, according to local authorities.
The shooting happened as Schmidt, who recently moved to Arizona and is now hospitalized in critical condition, was preaching the gospel in the streets and promoting a nearby church service.
“This is a horrible and horrible event. We have a 26-year-old man who is a soldier, newly married and has two small children. He is in critical condition,” said Gina Winn of the Glendale Police Department, according to FOX 10.
Victory Chapel, where Schmidt serves as director of outreach, posted an update on Schmidt’s condition on Friday. “The family is encouraged by what they see,” the church said, and asked for continued prayers.
The shooting is under investigation, and authorities are looking for tips to identify who is responsible for the attack. It is unclear at this time, according to authorities, whether Schmidt was targeted or whether the shooting was a random act of violence.
Hans Schmidt, left, was shot Wednesday in Glendale, Arizona.AZFamily | Arizona News
“51st Avenue and Peoria is a very busy intersection, so we know there are actually people in that area. There were vehicles driving in the area, so we believe there is someone in the Valley who knows something about what happened,” said Winn, public information officer for Glendale police. “We believe there is someone in the Valley who knows what happened. If you see any individuals or vehicles, you are asked to contact the Glendale Police Department.”
Paul Sanchez, who works nearby in the area where the shooting happened, told AZ Family that people who passed Schmidt while he was preaching would scream and curse at him.
The intersection is at 51st Avenue and Peoria in Glendale.AZFamily | Arizona News
“There was a lot of everything, really—hateful comments, people yelling at him, ‘Get out of the way,’ all kinds of vile things,” recalls Sanchez, who can’t believe things escalated the way they did.
Another individual who works in the area, the owner of Jesse James Comics, expressed disbelief at the situation after he was asked by police to move his vehicle following the shooting.
“When I came out, they had switched all the traffic, so all the traffic was just down one lane going through the complex,” James told FOX 10.
After learning what had happened, James said he was more aware of his surroundings. “It is a crowded area. . . I always thought they might have been hit by a car. I didn’t know they were going to get shot,” James said.
Schmidt recently married and has two young children.AZFamily | Arizona News
“After tonight, I think we just have to take that extra step,” he added. “Close at the right time . . . making sure at night we have extra people on the floor. . . just be aware of our surroundings a little more.”
So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. However, a statement on the matter from the Glendale Police Department stated that detectives investigating the incident “believe there are additional witnesses to this offense who may have information about what happened.”
Schmidt serves as director of outreach at Victory Chapel.AZFamily | Arizona News
“It’s important for people to come forward if you have information, so we can bring justice to Hans and his family,” Winn said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 623-930-3000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
