COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A shocking viral video that has been making its rounds on social media shows a self-identified street preacher lambasting a county police officer as he walks away, tongue-lashing him with the proclamation, “You deserve a sniper bullet in your head.”
Jim Gilles of Indiana had been holding signs and calling out to passersby outside of Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Church International on the morning of Oct. 9, 2016 as members were arriving for services. Dollar has been a controversial figure due to his promotion of the prosperity gospel, and in recent years, has raised eyebrows with his efforts to raise funds to purchase a $65 million dollar jet.
While it is not known as to the specific reason Gilles was outside of the location, a video posted to social media shows Fulton County Police Officer K. Schierie approaching Gilles and others with him to advise that they could not call out to people arriving for services. Gilles was holding a sign that said something in regard to “racist thugs.”
“It’s causing a disturbance,” Schierie states. “The loud screaming is causing a disturbance, which would constitute disorderly conduct.”
“So you would cite us or arrest us for disorderly conduct if we speak to cars coming in?” Gilles asks.
“Yelling and screaming at them [is not allowed]. If you want to talk at a reasonable voice, but you guys are yelling and screaming right now,” Schiere contends.
Gilles then inquires if they would be arrested if they continued, and Schiere replies in the affirmative. As the officer begins to walk away, Gilles asserts that World Changers must have him “in their pocket,” which Schiere denies.
Gilles proceeds to unleash on the officer, telling him that he deserves to be shot.
“You’re bought off and paid for, dude. You’re as corrupt as Hillary Clinton. You’re one of the cops that deserves to be shot by Black Lives Matter,” he exclaims.
Gilles then asserts that God “has raised up Black Lives Matter to shoot cops.”
“You deserve to get shot, dude,” he calls out to the officer, walking toward him. “You deserve a bullet in your head. You deserve it. You deserve a sniper bullet.”
An unidentified man who is filming the encounter cautions Gilles, but he continues.
“Yes, you do. It’s cops like you why God has raised up Black Lives Matter to shoot cops,” he repeats. “There are so many corrupt cops in this country and you deserve sniper bullets. Yes, you do.”
The man accompanying Gilles, who had cautioned him seconds prior, then says “amen” in agreement.
Schiere soon approaches Gilles with cell phone in hand to record his words, as another officer had already been recording Gilles’ tirade.
“You have anything else you want to say about shooting police?” the recording officer asks.
“What have I said?” Gilles replies.
Gilles is among a circle of “shock and awe” preachers that have been known to generate alarm, including Ruben Chavez, who goes by the name Ruben Israel. As previously reported, Chavez went to court after being ousted from an Arab festival in 2012 when attendees became violent after he brought a literal pig’s head on a pole to the mainly Muslim gathering.
The video of Gilles has obtained at least 38,000 views since it was shared on social media, and has been condemned by Christians nationwide who have called Gilles’ words “unChristian,” “disgusting” and “shameful.”
“Extremely disturbing and sad that someone would blame God for the violence of killing police officers or any other evil that the devil has devised. Even more disturbing that it would be someone who calls themselves Christian!” commenter Denice Blake wrote. “It’s no wonder so many people don’t want to have anything to do with church or with Christians!”
“Terrible disgrace to Christians everywhere,” also wrote Jennifer Wedel, who uploaded the video to her Facebook page. “True believers of Christ DO NOT act this way. Please do not be deceived.”
“And to the Fulton County PD, the officers in the video: I’m very sorry you had to hear and deal with that mess. Thank you for your service to the community and for risking your lives daily,” she said.
Gilles did not return a request for comment.
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