A GUN-WIELDING priest is being hailed as a hero after shooting and killing a suspected car thief outside a supermarket.
David George splits his time between work as a priest and also a paramedic and volunteer firefighter but was out shopping with his family on Wednesday, June 20th.
That was the day he came face-to-face with 44-year-old Tim Day in the car park outside of a Walmart superstore in Tumwater, Washington State, in the US.
Day was midway through a one-man crime spree that had already seen him attempt to carjack six different people.
The situation came to a head when Day shot one driver, Ricky Fievez. George, who was nearby with his family, returned fire, resulting in the death of the assailant.
"As a volunteer firefighter I have received active shooter training," George explained to CBS Miami. "I was sure what I heard was gunshots."
"I carry a firearm for the same reason I carry a first aid bag," he added. "Hoping not to use them but being prepared nonetheless."
George was quick to run to the aid of the injured Fievez, with the stricken driver's son praising the priest's actions for helping save his father's life.
"That bystander who shot him is a hero," Tyler Fievez told CBS. "That guy could have killed both my parents plus plenty more people."
Though George was left traumatised by the experience, he's already been cleared of any wrongdoing by police for his role in the shooting.
The authorities say Day, who was a convicted criminal, had been able to get a fun from using finance.
