The pastor of a church in Lake Charles, La., was shot and killed on Friday night by a 53-year-old man who was once a deacon at the church while in the middle of a sermon, according to CNN.

Ronald Harris, the pastor at the Tabernacle of Praise Worship Center, was leading the 65 worshippers present in singing "Our God is a Great God" along with his daughter Talisha Harris when the gunman entered the church and started firing a shotgun, according to CNN.

Woodrow Karey, 53, had been a member of the church at one point although he had not been around for close to four years. The gunman had no prior criminal history and it is not yet known what his motive may have been for the shooting, according to KPLC-TV.

"Karey shot Harris with a shotgun twice - once when he walked in to the church and a second time when Harris fell to the floor and Karey walked up to him and shot him at close range," a spokeswoman from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office told the Associated Press.

"He came in and the first shot he hit, he hit a plant," Talisha Harris told KPLC-TV. "I remember my daddy taking off running and he shot him in the back and he fell by my kids trying to run. He got over him again and shot him again and kind of stood there, I guess to watch him take his last breath."

Karey fled from the scene on foot and hid the murder weapon in some woods not far from the church. Shortly thereafter Karey called 911 and turned himself in and directed the police to where he had hid the weapon. Karey is being held on $1 million bond and has been charged with second-degree murder, according to the Associated Press.

Talisha Harris was confused as to why anyone would ever attempt to harm her father who she described as a very spiritual and strong man, according to KPLC-TV.

"My dad was a great father," Harris said. "He was an awesome grandfather. He was an awesome preacher-teacher. He had a big heart. He loved everybody, wanted to always help."
KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana