A man was shot on the street of a busy intersection in a Phoenix, Arizona suburb on Wednesday while preaching and inviting bystanders to an event at his church.
26-year-old Hans Schmidt, a veteran military combat medic, husband, father to two young children, and the outreach director at Victory Chapel in Glendale is in critical condition after police say he was shot in the head Wednesday evening. Schmidt was telling the nearby public about an event happening at his church later that evening at the time of the incident.
At this time, police have not been able to identify any suspects in the shooting.
In a press release, Glendale Police shared that officers “responded to a local hospital for a delayed report of a victim” and did not arrive at the scene of the incident or transport Schmidt to the hospital, it is unclear who took the man to receive medical attention.
When asked if the attack is being investigated as a hate crime, a police spokesperson told reporters, “Our detectives are going to follow up on every lead, and based on the information they obtain regarding the investigation they will charge appropriate charges, whether that’s a hate crime or not.”
Schmidt’s wife, Zulya, shared the news on Instagram, writing, “My husband was shot in the head yesterday while street preaching on the corner of 51st Ave and Peoria If anyone has any info please contact 911.”
She added, “Thank you for your prayers. Believing God has the final say. I love you so much babe.”
The police department’s press release also stated, “Glendale Police Department detectives are still investigating and believe there are additional witnesses to this offense who may have information about what occurred. We are asking for the public’s help in identifying anyone involved.” Anyone with information was encouraged to “contact the Glendale Police Department at 623-930-3000.”
