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SUFFOLK, Virginia —According to Suffolk Police, on Sunday, Dec.8, 2024, an adult male entered the Divine Church of Deliverance and Transformation in Suffolk during service hours and fired one shot at a church staff member.

According to police, the subject was searching for a staff member and fired one shot in their direction. Fortunately, the staff member was unharmed. Bystanders attending the service apprehended the subject and detained him until Suffolk Police arrived. The Suffolk Police took the subject into custody. The identity of the man taken into custody has not been released. No other injuries were reported.

The Suffolk Emergency Communication Center received a call about the gunshots at approximately 12:15 p.m. and dispatched Suffolk Police officers to the church located on the 6300 block of Whaleyville Boulevard. The police investigation confirmed that the shooter was known to the church. On Monday, police officials identified Tremonte Smith, 24, of Chesapeake as the person charged in the incident. Smith is charged with multiple felonies including Second-Degree Attempted Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Discharging a Firearm in an Occupied Building.

The incident is currently under investigation, and no further information is available. This is a developing story; we will update it as more information becomes available.