Law enforcement is actively searching for the missing pastor and pursuing leads to locate him and his abductors.
**US Pastor Abducted During Church Service in South Africa**
**US Pastor Abducted During Church Service in South Africa**
American missionary Josh Sullivan was kidnapped by armed men during a church service, prompting a police investigation.
An unsettling incident shook the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, Gqeberra, Eastern Cape, when American pastor Josh Sullivan was abducted by masked gunmen during his Thursday evening service. Four armed men stormed into the service, stealing two mobile phones before fleeing in Sullivan's silver Toyota Fortuner. Authorities have since discovered the vehicle abandoned but have yet to find any leads regarding Sullivan's whereabouts.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed awareness of the kidnapping incident and expressed that the safety of American citizens abroad is of utmost priority. South Africa's elite police unit, known as the Hawks, is now involved in the case, focusing on serious crimes and high-level corruption. "We are actively pursuing every lead to locate the victim and bring the perpetrators to justice," stated Hawks spokesman Lt Col Avele Fumba.
The Sullivan family's spokesman, Jeremy Hall, recounted that Sullivan was with his family at the church when the armed men came in, indicating they seemed familiar with him. His mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, expressed her heartbreak on social media, mentioning that both their congressman and the American embassy are working to secure his release. Notably, there has been no ransom demand reported, according to News24.
Josh Sullivan, who identifies himself as "a church planting missionary," relocated to South Africa with his family in 2018 to serve the local Xhosa-speaking community. The incident underscores a troubling trend, as police statistics indicate a dramatic 264% increase in kidnappings in South Africa over the last decade. Just days prior, another kidnapping of a Chinese national was reported in proximity to the same region, raising further concerns about safety in the area.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed awareness of the kidnapping incident and expressed that the safety of American citizens abroad is of utmost priority. South Africa's elite police unit, known as the Hawks, is now involved in the case, focusing on serious crimes and high-level corruption. "We are actively pursuing every lead to locate the victim and bring the perpetrators to justice," stated Hawks spokesman Lt Col Avele Fumba.
The Sullivan family's spokesman, Jeremy Hall, recounted that Sullivan was with his family at the church when the armed men came in, indicating they seemed familiar with him. His mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, expressed her heartbreak on social media, mentioning that both their congressman and the American embassy are working to secure his release. Notably, there has been no ransom demand reported, according to News24.
Josh Sullivan, who identifies himself as "a church planting missionary," relocated to South Africa with his family in 2018 to serve the local Xhosa-speaking community. The incident underscores a troubling trend, as police statistics indicate a dramatic 264% increase in kidnappings in South Africa over the last decade. Just days prior, another kidnapping of a Chinese national was reported in proximity to the same region, raising further concerns about safety in the area.
