Salem, USA - Worship turned to terror for hundreds of churchgoers Wednesday evening in Salem when a man burst into the sanctuary at the People's Church and began spraying the sanctuary and parishioners with gasoline, then set the church on fire.
Police say the bizarre crime began when the suspect hijacked a cab at about 7 p.m., pulling a knife on the driver and forcing the cabbie to take him to the People's Church on Lancaster Road in Salem.
Witnesses at the church said the man ran into the main sanctuary, where about 300 people were attending a service, and began running down the aisles spraying gasoline. The man reportedly splashed gasoline on churchgoers as well, then used a lighter to ignite the gasoline.
Police say the bizarre crime began when the suspect hijacked a cab, pulling a knife on the driver and forcing the cabbie to take him to the People's Church on Lancaster Road in Salem, Ore.
One man was able to tackle the suspect and haul him out as others beat down the flames. The church was evacuated and the suspect was taken into custody.
The cab driver received a cut on his neck but his injury was not considered life threatening. Two female churchgoers suffered minor injuries, and damage to the church was considered minor.
Police did not immediately release the name of the suspect and were investigating to determine a motive for the incident. This morning, many are asking why.
"Why would he do it? What was the problem? Did he have a bad feeling about the church? Did he not like the church?" asked one church member.
An assistant pastor says no one in the church had ever seen the man before.