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Hans Schmidt: Arizona religious leader, 26, fighting for life after being shot in the head while preaching

An unidentified gunman reportedly shot Hans Schmidt in the face, leaving him critically injured

GLENDALE, ARIZONA: Hans Schmidt, a 26-year-old religious leader from Arizona, is currently fighting for his life after being shot in the head while preaching.

The shocking incident reportedly occurred while Schmidt was preaching the gospel on a street corner. 

An unidentified gunman reportedly shot him in the face, leaving him critically injured. The incident took place in Glendale, Arizona, as per Daily Mail. 

Who is Hans Schmidt?

Hans Schmidt, a 26-year-old military medic and a Christian father of two, was tragically shot around 6:15 pp on Wednesday in the vicinity of 51st Avenue and Peoria, as reported by local law enforcement.

The incident occurred while Schmidt, who had recently relocated to Arizona, was evangelizing on the street and advocating for a local church service. He is currently in the hospital, fighting for his life in critical condition.

"This is a horrible, horrible event. We have a 26-year-old who is a military man, who was recently married and has two small children. He's in a critical state," stated Gina Winn of the Glendale Police Department, per FOX 10.

Victory Chapel, where Schmidt was serving as the outreach director, shared an update on his condition on Friday. The church conveyed that "The family is encouraged by what they are seeing," the church noted, and asked for continued prayer.

Why was Hans Schmidt attacked?

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and authorities are soliciting tips to help identify the perpetrator of the attack. At this point, it remains uncertain, as per the authorities, whether Schmidt was specifically targeted or if the shooting was a random act of violence, the New York Post reported.

"51st Avenue and Peoria is a very busy intersection, so we know for a fact that there were people within the area. There were vehicles driving within the area, so we believe there is somebody within the Valley that does know something about what happened," explained Winn, a public information officer for Glendale police.

"We believe there is someone in the Valley who knows what happened. If you saw an individual or vehicle, you’re asked to call the Glendale Police Department," he added.

Paul Sanchez, who is employed in the vicinity of where the shooting took place, informed AZ Family that individuals passing by Schmidt during his sermon would often hurl insults and obscenities at him.

Sanchez, who works nearby, recalled the harsh reality of the situation, "There was a lot of everything, really—hateful comments, people yelling at him, ‘Get off the street,’ all sorts of mean things." He expressed his disbelief at how the situation escalated to such an extent. 

Has the Glendale police made any arrests in this case?

As of now, no arrests have been made related to the shooting. However, a statement from the Glendale Police Department indicates that detectives working on the case believe there are additional witnesses who may have crucial information about the incident.

The police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 623-930-3000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Spanish speakers can reach out to 480-TESTIGO.

Hans Schmidt's family devastated over attack

Schmidt's wife Zulya took to Instagram to share a distressing post. She pleaded with anyone who had information about the incident to step forward, as she prayed fervently for her husband’s swift recovery.

"My husband was shot in the head yesterday while street preaching on the corner of 51st Ave and Peoria If anyone has any info please contact 911," she captioned the post along with a picture of them together. 

"Thank you for your prayers. Believing God has the final say. I love you so much babe," she wrote

Schmidt’s father Eric shared a post about the incident that occurred on the evening of November 15.

"This is my son, Hans. On the night of Wednesday, Nov 15th 2023, he was shot in the head while attending a church outreach on the street at the intersection of 51st Ave and Peoria in Glendale, AZ," Eric penned.

"Single entry point on the side on the left temple. The bullet traveled through his brain and is still inside on the right side of his head. No one heard the shot or saw where it came from," he added.

The heartbroken added, "No one had realized what happened at first. He had started seizures and vomiting and they took him to the hospital." At the time of this post, he is sedated and stable on life support. They are draining fluid from his head to relieve pressure on his brain."

He further noted, "So far they are saying it's inoperable. It's an incredibly sad situation. We are hoping for a miracle. If you have any information about the shooting, please contact the police."