Gun-wielding man arrested at Texas church with Notes app message to 'kill' pastor: 'I am a prophet called Warlock'

A 23-year-old Texas man armed with a loaded revolver and more than 100 rounds of ammunition was tackled by a church security team member inside a downtown Houston church service before he could open fire, court documents show.

Emmanuel Ahsono Mbwavi faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the March 15 incident at Eden Church Houston, a church plant which holds services at the Post Entertainment Center in downtown Houston on Sunday mornings, according to Harris County court records.

A member of the church’s security team, Fernando Romo, recognized Mbwavi upon his arrival wearing a backpack. Mbwavi had been asked to leave the property roughly two months earlier after trying to hand out "concerning" flyers to parishioners, court documents state. 

Pastor Jared Darby, who is listed as a Bible teacher on the website for Faithbridge, a church located in Spring, Texas, instructed the security team to monitor him.

Romo told investigators he observed Mbwavi following Pastor Darby into the bathroom, then walking in and out of the bathroom three times before disappearing into the crowd of churchgoers. Another pastor, Abraham Guajardo, approached Mbwavi to question his presence at the service, according to court documents.

While the two were speaking, Romo noticed Mbwavi holding the grip of a pistol tucked into his right front pant pocket. Court documents say Mbwavi attempted to pull the weapon, but the hammer snagged on his pants. Believing Mbwavi was about to shoot Guajardo, himself and other church members, Romo tackled him to the ground.

Mbwavi had his cellphone in his left hand and was pushing on the screen while verbally counting down, leading Romo to fear he might detonate a bomb in his backpack when he reached zero. Church members assisted in restraining Mbwavi until officers arrived. A bystander picked up the revolver, which had fallen during the scuffle. Court records say the revolver was loaded with six live rounds, and another 100 live rounds were found in Mbwavi’s backpack.

While on the ground, Mbwavi shouted, "I’m gonna kill Jared, who is a fake prophet. I am a prophet called Warlock." He also threatened to kill Romo, according to the charging documents.

Romo seized Mbwavi’s phone, which, according to court records, was open to the Notes app displaying a memo that read, "Kill Jared Darby in the downstairs restroom with bag in hand." The note also included details about Pastor Darby’s black Audi SUV Q5 and its license plate number.

Mbwavi was initially arrested on a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon but was later charged with an additional two counts of aggravated assault. He was booked into the Harris County Jail on March 30 with bail set at more than $250,000 and is scheduled to appear in court on May 5.

Neither The Eden Church nor Faithbridge responded to a request for comment. This article will be updated if a response is received. 

The Eden Church, which has over 1,000 members, conducts services in the foyer of the Post Entertainment Center every Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. before most businesses open, according to the charging complaint. The church’s small security team is made up of church members.