A love triangle turned deadly at a storefront church in Detroit. According to reports by Detroit News, the incident occurred at The City of God Ministry after Deante Smith, 26, accused the church’s pastor of having sex with his wife.
Smith and his wife once stayed with the pastor, who he considered to be his mentor and father figure. But after Smith discovered the affair, he began to share his anger on Facebook. During a rant in September, Smith told his followers that his wife gave birth to the pastor’s baby.
Weeks later, he revealed on Facebook that he was “hurt” by the affair. On Oct. 18, Smith went to the 1:30 p.m. church service and confronted the pastor. Allegedly, he held a brick in his hand while attempting to attack the pastor. But the pastor pulled out a Glock 9mm and shot Smith several times. Smith died later at Botsford Hospital.
The pastor, whose name has yet to be released, was questioned by police, but he was not arrested for the crime. The authorities are gathering evidence and will present the case to a prosecutor who will decide if the pastor will be charged with murder.
The shooting and love affair shed light on some of the issues that are faced in the Black church. Many pastors have been known to abuse their power by manipulating women who attend their church. Sex is a touchy subject inside the Black church and it’s often swept under the rug when it occurs.
Smith was an athlete who played semi-pro football and had been married to his wife since 2012.
