Oklahoma City Police placed a pastor behind bars on Wednesday after he allegedly touched a boy inappropriately while he was innocently waiting for the school bus, but not before the victim’s father allegedly pummeled him to the ground leaving him bruised and bloody, and with a fractured skull.
The 33-year-old preacher identified as Michael Coghill apparently jogged by the bus stop frequently and often stopped there.
The police report indicated that the 9-year-old claimed that a “guy touched him on the back and he didn’t like the way it made him feel,” according to KFOR.
After he told his parents it had happened on Monday, the boy’s father reportedly waited in his car on Wednesday to see if it would happen again.
“While he was watching the school bus stop, our suspect ran by him, ran past the bus stop where the children were waiting. Turned around, came back and stopped where he touched the child,” Sgt. Dillon Quirk with the Oklahoma City Police Department said.
Quirk explained that after an adult was made aware of the situation, the person used a recording device to monitor the situation at the bus stop where they saw the suspect run by before backtracking and touching the child.
Officers arrest 33-year old Michael Coghill on complaint of lewd/indecent act to child after reported incident at bus stop. pic.twitter.com/X4CjNi6Nog
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) September 23, 2021
After recording the incident, the father took him down and beat him, leaving him with lacerations and a cracked eye socket and skull.
The report indicated the suspect was seen checking his watch, almost as if he was anticipating the kids’ arrival.
Lisa Ward, a neighbor whose daughters use the same bus stop and witnessed the incident was taken aback by the disturbing incident.
“He knew the time he would be there every day,” Ward said. “That was the hardest part, the most disgusting part.”
The father was hailed a hero for his actions to take the perpetrator down.
I’m sure this dad was wearing a cape.
— matt (@mttlnrd) September 25, 2021
Although the police could not identify the person who reported the crime and left the pastor bloody, multiple local reports claimed it was the father of the victim.
“There’s hardly any words that are camera appropriate,” Ward said. “It’s just sickening.”
“He as in the cop car, bloody. It was just gut-wrenching knowing he was even in that cop car across the street,” Ward recalled indicating that she had seen him before.
“Where do they just come out the woodworks and prey on children and that he knew the time he would be there, every day, that was like the most hard part, the most disgusting part,” she said.
“Very shocking. Very, very shocking. I’m so grateful I‘m able to walk with my child every day to the bus stop,” she said.
“I just thought he was a runner in the neighborhood,” Ward said.
However, he previously worked for the Choctaw Church of Christ.
The Lakehoma Church of Christ confirmed that the assailant was more than just a jogger, he was a minister with the organization.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the incident that occurred yesterday morning involving Mike Coghill, our discipleship minister,” they wrote on social media and confirmed he was “relieved from all duties” and would no longer be on staff at the organization.
“Our hearts go out to the family and the child involved in the incident. We would encourage everyone to pray for this family during a very difficult time in their lives,” the statement continued. “Our church leadership has no tolerance for any type of abuse. Safety is our highest priority for our community, congregation and especially our children.”
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