An American pastor who was kidnapped in South Africa has been rescued in a dramatic police operation. Josh Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, was taken by armed men while he was preaching at a church in the Eastern Cape province last Thursday. His ordeal ended in a shootout that left three suspects dead, but remarkably, Sullivan emerged unharmed.
The incident unfolded during a church service when four armed men stormed the building, stealing mobile phones from worshippers and abducting Sullivan. They drove away in his own pickup truck. Following the kidnapping, authorities quickly launched a multi-agency investigation. The police found the abandoned vehicle a few hours later and began to suspect that Sullivan was being held in a house about 20 minutes away from the church.
On Tuesday night, police located the house and moved in to rescue him. As officers approached, the suspects opened fire from a vehicle parked outside, leading to a shootout in which three unidentified men were killed. Fortunately, Sullivan was found inside the same vehicle from which the suspects had attacked the police. After being checked by medical personnel, he was reported to be in excellent condition.
Sullivan has been a missionary at the Motherwell branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church since 2018. He is married and has two children, and he has now been reunited with his family. The rise in kidnappings in South Africa is alarming, with reports indicating a 264% increase over the past decade. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of safety and security in the region.