American pastor was kidnapped and violently rescued in South Africa. Three suspects were killed in a shootout

A brutal shootout in South Africa resulted in the uninjured rescue of American preacher Josh Sullivan, who had been kidnapped.

After a “high-intensity shoot-out” that claimed three lives, police say an American pastor who was abducted by armed men during a church service in South Africa has been released.

Josh Sullivan, 45, was seized last Thursday and was discovered unhurt Tuesday night in the Eastern Cape township of Gqeberha.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom, but no immediate information was available.

Over the past ten years, South Africa has seen a sharp rise in kidnappings for ransom.

The elite Hawks police team in South Africa intervened when the kidnappers demanded a ransom for Mr. Sullivan.

Sullivan was rescued after “verified intelligence wherein a coordinated team moved swiftly to the identified location,” according to a statement issued by the Hawks on Wednesday morning.

According to Hawks spokesperson Avele Fumba, the suspects tried to escape inside a car while shooting as the police drew closer to the residence.

“Three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded in a high-intensity shootout that resulted from the officers’ tactically precise response,” Mr. Fumba stated.

Since his kidnapping, Mr. Sullivan’s family and friends have fervently pleaded for his safe return.

The spokesperson for the Sullivan family, Jeremy Hall, told the local daily TimesLIVE that he was abducted while at the church with his wife and kids.

At the time, he claimed, “They knew his name.”

On his personal website, Mr. Sullivan identifies himself as “a church planting missionary.”

He claims that in order to start a church for Xhosa-speaking people, he and his wife and kids relocated to South Africa in 2018.