A member of Facts of Life Church in Whiteville found himself face to face with a knife after stopping to question a man he spotted sneaking from behind a church building on the Lee Street campus. The man allegedly pulled the knife during the confrontation, but the church member grabbed a wooden board to defend himself, and the suspect backed down, put the knife away, and ran.
According to Columbus County News, Whiteville Police said the incident happened around 9:30 a.m. on October 21. The church member had been driving past the Lee Street campus when he noticed the man coming out from behind one of the church buildings and pulled over to ask him about possible thefts from the property.
That's when the man allegedly pulled a knife on him. The church member responded by grabbing a wooden board, and the standoff ended with the suspect putting the blade away and fleeing the scene, the outlet reports.
Search for Larceny Suspect Continues
Police are now searching for a larceny suspect in connection with the alleged knife threat, per the same account. No further details on the man's identity or whether any property was actually taken from the church have been released, and the investigation is continuing.
Facts of Life Church sits in the public eye well beyond this incident. The congregation, owned by Pastor Daisy Brooks, runs the Feeding Pot Program, a weekly effort that serves hot meals to the community every Saturday at 2 p.m. at 506 North Lee Street, according to WECT. Brooks also allows other local organizations to take the lead on the program one weekend each month, the station notes.
Whiteville Police have not released additional information about the suspect's description or any arrest in the case. For now, the church member's quick thinking with a wooden board appears to have prevented the confrontation from turning into something worse, even as the hunt for the man behind it continues.
