Arizona Community Still Seeks Answers After Christian Preacher Shot in Head While Street Evangelizing

Many in the church community believe the case isn’t getting the kind of attention it deserves.

The Victory Chapel First Phoenix Church. Courtesy of Victory Chapel First Phoenix Church

Nearly three weeks after a young pastor was shot in the head while preaching on a busy street corner in Glendale, Arizona, frustration is mounting within the local Christian community over the lack of an arrest in what many believe to be a hate crime.

Hans Schmidt, 26, the outreach director at Victory Chapel First Phoenix Church, a father of two, was shot while expressing his Christian faith at a well-trafficked intersection shortly after 6 p.m. on Nov. 15, according to law enforcement.

Anthony Gaspar, a Glendale resident and member of a local Christian-based outreach group, told The Epoch Times that many in the church community believe the case isn’t getting the kind of attention it deserves as the result of a societal double standard.

“A young Christian was shot on one of the busiest intersections during rush hour and with cameras all around and it’s three weeks later and you are going to tell me they can’t make an arrest?” said Mr. Gaspar. “If this was any other religious group, and they had endured the kind of abuse that this young man had endured for espousing his beliefs, I can promise you there would be no stone left unturned until they found the parties responsible.”

“Instead, it’s as if everyone has just forgotten about it. Swept it under the rug,” added Mr. Gaspar.

Gina Winn, public information officer for the Glendale Police Department, said during a press conference on Nov. 18 that law enforcement is doing everything in its power to bring whoever perpetrated this crime to justice.

“This is a horrible, horrible offense. We have a 26-year-old who is a military medic. He is recently married,” said Ms. Winn. “He has two small children and is in a critical state, so it is imperative that the public reach out if you do have information so we can bring justice to Hans and his family.”

The cause of the shooting remains unknown, but detectives are still reviewing a “huge amount” of surveillance made available by local businesses, according to Ms. Winn.

A GoFundMe page, set up by a family friend to help pay for expenses, added more details, stating that law enforcement has obtained and reviewed footage of the shooting and its immediate aftermath.

“Police detectives reviewed the intersection video footage,” the statement read. “He initially fell but got back up and was walking and talking but bleeding. No one had realized what happened at first. He had started seizures and vomiting and they took him to the hospital.”

“The bullet traveled through his brain and is still inside on the right side of his head. No one heard the shot or saw where it came from.”

There are indications that the shooting might be a hate crime. Mr. Gaspar told The Epoch Times he once witnessed “terrible words” directed at Mr. Schmidt.

Another witness, Paul Sanchez, who works nearby, said he saw a vehicle pull up near Mr. Schmidt with people inside who cursed at him to stop preaching, according to a report by CBS 5.

“There was a lot of everything, really hateful comments, people yelling at him, ‘get off the street,’ all sorts of mean things,” Mr. Sanchez was quoted as telling the outlet.

Mr. Schmidt never confronted anyone or responded to the vitriol, according to both Mr. Gaspar and Mr. Sanchez.

A decision has not been made on whether the shooting will be investigated as a hate crime. The Glendale Police Department will follow the evidence wherever it leads, Ms. Winn said.

“Based on the information they obtain regarding the investigation they will charge appropriate charges whether that is a hate crime or not,” said Ms. Winn.

Repeated calls and emails from The Epoch Times to the Glendale Police Department were not immediately answered.

FBI data show that hate crimes rose nationally by more than 47 percent from 2019 to 2022. Arizona saw a 68 percent increase between 2018 and 2020, according to FBI data. More than 60 percent of hate crimes are racially motivated, and about 15 percent are religious-based.

For several years, crime in American cities has remained at crisis levels.

The surge in thefts, harassment, and violent crimes in cities nationwide during much of 2020 and 2021 had been expected by many experts to be temporary, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd’s death.

However, more than a year after officials declared an end to the COVID-19 emergency and officers involved in Mr. Floyd’s death were convicted and sentenced, lawlessness persists at a high level.

Glendale, Arizona, which is about nine miles from the state capitol of Phoenix, has experienced a dramatic surge in crime—63 percent higher than the already high national average.

The recent shooting of Mr. Schmidt has garnered the attention of several influential conservatives on social media, including author and conservative columnist Allie Beth Stuckey. On Nov. 27 Mrs. Stuckey posted on X: “An attempted murder for the crime of preaching the gospel. I don’t expect much from our government or media when it comes to the persecution of Christians, of course, but this should be much bigger news.”

“We need justice,” she added.

Meanwhile, an update on the GoFundMe page revealed that while Mr. Schmidt is still fighting for his life, his condition is dire.

“He is sedated and stable on life support,” the statement read. “They are draining fluid from his head to relieve pressure on his brain. So far they are saying it’s inoperable.”

“It’s an incredibly sad situation. We are hoping for a miracle.”

The Glendale Police Department requests that anyone with any information call its non-emergency number at 623-930-3000.