A man in California was arrested after he wrote four threatening letters to Holy Trinity Church in the city of San Carlos that said he would shoot members during the Sunday service.

He was thankfully arrested before that could happen. Surveillance footage caught him in the act of delivering his letters, and members of the church quickly realized they knew the culprit: Paul Michaelson, a 79-year-old man who serves as a part-time pastor at Hope Lutheran Church (which is in the same family of churches in the area) and used to attend the church he was threatening.

Michaelson’s letters allegedly chronicled a “deeply rooted” anger against Holy Lutheran that brewed during his time as a congregation member at some point in years past, [San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Detective Rosemerry] Blankswade said. Investigators declined to share more about the grievances, but they resulted in specific threats against church members pegged to this Sunday, Blankswade said, adding that there is no evidence at this time that the threats stemmed from a documented mental illness. … “It sounded like he did not get the help he was seeking, and because of that he felt deeply wronged by the church,” Blankswade said.

What’s that saying? God provides, but until then, murder is an option?

Whatever his reasons, his anger mixed with access to weapons created a scenario that could have turned deadly had police not arrested him Thursday night. They didn’t find weapons at his home. Still, at the moment, he’s been blocked from purchasing any firearms until the courts have had a say.

(Screenshot via Internet Archive. Thanks to Jim for the link)

