Tim Remington, a pastor from Idaho, was shot at a church's parking lot a day after attending a campaign rally for presidential candidate Ted Cruz. While he was shot six times, including once in the skull, Remington miraculously regained consciousness on Monday night.
"He's whispering and talking to his family a little bit," said John Padula, outreach pastor for the Altar Church where Remington, 55, is the senior pastor, on Tuesday, the Guardian reported. "He's doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb's up last night when I went in."
Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, said Padula.
The incident happened on Sunday after Remington delivered a prayer for the Texas Senator on Saturday. Then, as he was walking in the parking lot of a local church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the suspect approached him and shot him multiple times, NBC News reported.
Police officers then responded to the scene at around 2 p.m. and rushed Remington to the hospital. Although he was in critical condition, relatives said that the Pastor was still conscious and was even talking to medical responders.
According to police reports, the suspect in the shooting has not yet been caught. They described him as a white man in his mid-30s and has blond hair. Investigators are still coordinating with possible witnesses and Remington regarding the possible identity and location of the suspect.
John Padula, an associate pastor at the church, said that there is a surveillance footage of the suspect waiting inside a silver car in the parking area. When he saw Remington, he approached him from behind and shot him multiple times. Padula also noted that the suspect had attended the mass at the church before the incident, according to Heavy.com.
Although nothing has been confirmed yet, this strongly indicates that the shooter may have intentionally targeted Remington.
Upon learning about the incident, Cruz's camp immediately offered their prayer and support to Remington and his family.
"Our prayers are with Pastor Tim, his family, and the doctors who are supervising his care," spokesperson Catherin Frazier told NBC News. "We pray for his full recovery and are thankful for the efforts of law enforcement the attacker is swiftly brought to justice."
Currently, Remington is being treated at a local hospital. Reports also indicate that his condition stabilized on Sunday evening. A friend of the Remington family said that one of the shots was directed at the victim's head. Fortunately, the bullet was stopped by the skull before reaching the brain.
Despite the seriousness of his injuries, those close to Remington believe that the 55-year-old pastor will still be able to continue serving God.
