Billy Lewis: Sumter Man Arrested For Stabbing Man Seated In Front Of Him During Church Service With 6-Inch Knife

A man from Sumter County, South Carolina, had to be airlifted from his church to a local hospital after he was stabbed several times by a fellow parishioner during the church service. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Department say that they have placed the man responsible under arrest, though they have yet to determine a motive for the stabbing.

According to 11 Alive News, deputies say that the incident occurred at approximately 9:23 a.m. at St. Paul A.M.E. Church located at 1495 North St. Paul Church Road in Wedgefield, S.C. Witnesses to the stabbing say that the victim, who is a male believed to be in his sixties, was stabbed by the man who had been sitting behind him in the church pew during the Sunday School services at the church. The man was left with multiple stab wounds and no apparent reason for the injuries.

The attacker has been identified as 65-year-old Billy Lewis of Wedgefield, and the police report stated that he has been taken into custody and will face charges of attempted murder, though it is possible that additional charges may be added to the list against him at a later date.

Lewis had been sitting behind the victim during the St. Paul AME Shaw Church Sunday School services when he abruptly stood and pulled out a 6-inch knife, stabbing the man in front of him. Deputies say that the victim received multiple stab wounds, including to the back of his head. The man’s survival would have been much less likely if not for a nurse who had been taking part in the church service being able to lend aid until the emergency services crew could arrive at the scene. He was then airlifted to Palmetto Health Richland to receive treatment for injuries that have been described as severe.

The public information officer at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Department are calling this a random act of violence. They advised that the knife attack on the parishioner by Billy Lewis left the man with a total of three stab wounds, one in the head, another wound in the shoulder and one more in his neck.

Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis gave a statement which sought to highlight the fact that though it was gruesome, the stabbing during the church services could have ended a lot worse.

“This is certainly a tragic event. As bad as it was, we are fortunate it was not worse. Our thoughts and prayers go out the church members as well as the victim and his family and the suspect.”

Deputies say that Lewis is a regular parishioner at the church, as is the victim, but no motive for the crime has been established. Thus far, the sheriff’s office have not even been unable to unearth any prior incident between the two men that could possibly have led to the stabbing. Though it is believed that Lewis has a history of mental health issues, he has never been violent and has only gotten into trouble with the law when he received speeding tickets and tickets for not wearing his seatbelt.

Sumter SC deputies say a man pulled out a knife and attacked a parishioner this morning at The St. Paul AME Church. pic.twitter.com/CQ9trpkJX9

— JR Berry WLTX ?? (@JRBerryWLTX) October 23, 2016

Sheriff Anthony Dennis says that victim’s advocates have been providing their services to anyone who happened to have witnessed the incident. The name of the man who was stabbed in the church has not been released to the public as yet, but it has been reported that he is currently in a stable condition at the hospital. There were no other injuries reported at the church stabbing.

The bond hearing for Billy Lewis has been set for 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

[Featured Image by Sumter County Sheriff’s Department]