On November 16, 2023, around 6:15 pm, a 26-year-old preacher and father of two was critically shot in the head while delivering a sermon on a street corner in Glendale, Arizona.
Hans Schmidt, a former military combat medic, was using a megaphone to preach to the public when an unidentified individual shot him. The incident occurred at a busy intersection, as stated by Glendale Police.
Schmidt, currently hospitalized in critical condition, had recently relocated to Arizona and was serving as the outreach director at Victory Chapel.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown, with the Glendale Police Department actively investigating.
Paul Sanchez, who works in the neighborhood, said that at times while Schmidt was out preaching the gospel, individuals drove past, shouting and using offensive language against him. “There was a variety of negativity—spiteful remarks, people shouting at him to leave the street, and all sorts of unkind things,” he said. Sanchez didn’t anticipate that the situation would get worse, particularly because he said Schmidt never engaged with anyone or reacted to the rude remarks.
Family and friends of Schmidt are struggling to comprehend the motive behind the attack.
The police have called for public assistance in apprehending the shooter.
