Santa Ana, California’s Second Baptist Church‘s senior pastor, Ivan Pitts, was stabbed seven times on the morning of Feb. 24, 2022, outside is home in Long Beach.
According to the church’s executive director of operations, Kelita Hull-Gardner, Pitts was approached by an identified man in the pastor’s driveway desiring to ask him a question. The man then stabbed Pitts in this left eye, back, and the shoulder-neck area, adding up to a horrific seven times.
The pastor’s stab wounds resulted in both lungs being punctured, broken bones in both his eye socket and shoulder. Miraculously, Pitts was able to run for help at a nearby construction site.
Hull-Gardner shared that police have Pitts’ attacker in custody after construction site workers snapped a picture of the assailant’s license plate, leading authorities to the attempted murderer.
According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, police said the suspect will be charged with attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and felony vandalism.
“We are grateful to God Almighty for sparing the life of our dear pastor,” Hull-Gardner said. “The doctors are claiming him to be very lucky, but we know luck has nothing to do with his survival.”
His wife Tanishé was at his side before having a successful surgery later that afternoon to repair three cuts to his left eyelid and a tendon, Hull-Gardner shared and asked for prayers for Pitts and his family.
“I am so fortunate,” the father of four said in update on his condition posted on the church’s Facebook page. Not only was he recovering well from surgery, but he was also in great spirits, the post read.
Pitts has pastored Second Baptist Church since 2012 and witnessed a second campus located in Lake Forest, California open its doors in 2016.
A motive has yet to be released as to why the pastor was attacked and stabbed seven times.
