Tennessee pastor rescued unharmed after shootout in South Africa

Josh Sullivan, a Tennessee pastor, was abducted at gunpoint by masked men during a sermon at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell Township, South Africa, on April 10. The kidnappers, suspected to be familiar with Sullivan and his family, also stole cellphones from the congregation. After a ransom demand, South Africa's elite police unit, the Hawks, tracked Sullivan to a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha. When officers approached, the captors attempted to flee and opened fire, resulting in a shootout that left three suspects dead. Sullivan was found unharmed inside the vehicle with the suspects and was assessed to be in good condition. The incident highlights a rise in kidnappings for ransom in South Africa and was resolved through coordinated, multi-agency police efforts.