A South Carolina churchgoer was shot during a Sunday service by a man who walked in the building and demanded money, investigators said.

Centro Cristiano de Columbia Church Pastor Henry Alfaro said people were kneeling in prayer in the dimly-lit Forest Acres church around 6:15 a.m. when a man with a gun entered, fired in the air and shot a church member before running off.

His gun appeared to stop working after he shot the parishioner, Alfaro told WLTX-TV in Columbia.

It wasn't immediately clear how many people were inside the church at the time.

The news outlet identified the wounded man as 23-year-old Esvin Perez. He underwent surgery and remained in a hospital.

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Forest Acres police said the suspect sped off in a car.

No arrests have been made.