Pastor who fought off teen gunman during carjacking calls survival a ‘miracle’

July 11, 2025

A Connecticut pastor who was captured on video tackling a teen gunman during an attempted carjacking in Baltimore, Maryland in June, is praising God for keeping him safe during the confrontation.

The Christian Post reports that Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr., who leads the Pentecostal Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bridgeport, was approached by a teenager on June 29 who pretended to have an emergency.

Moales told the CT Post that the 16 year old high school junior pulled a ski mask over his face and brandished a firearm, tapping the window of the car with the gun and saying, “I will shoot you. Get out of the car.”

Moales said he feared for his life as he exited the vehicle but he punched the gunman in the jaw and the two began struggling for control of the firearm.

The pastor said he tried to restrain the 16-year-old but the carjacker was able to get away with both the gun and Moales’ car.

When police located the vehicle a short time later, they arrested the three teenagers inside including the 16-year-old, a 15-year-old and 19-year-old Mehkai Tindal.

Moales told Fox News that he was most disappointed by the young man’s disrespect for the pastor as he pleaded with him to stop, saying, “Believe it or not, that’s what hurts me the most. He had no reverence for me as a pastor. I thought that would be a turning point in our scuffling. I tried to get more leverage on him. ‘Hey, relax, I’m a pastor,’” Moales explained. “I was so concerned. This is such a godless generation. How could he not at least back off, knowing I’m a pastor, and he didn’t care.”

According to the Christian Post, Moales is considering changing his ministry to focus more on salvation for the youth.

The pastor told Fox News, “I started out as a youth pastor with my father. My passion has always been towards mentoring and pouring into young men. But what I’m learning right now, mentorship is not enough. We’ve got to get into Lordship. [We] have to introduce our generation to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Photo: top, Credit: Screenshot/Fox News