A Louisiana Pastor Shoots His Wife In Front Of Their Kids Before Turning The Gun On Himself

McComb, Mississippi police are investigating after the Lead Pastor of Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Pineville, Louisiana, allegedly shot his wife and then himself.

Investigators said Danny Prenell Jr, 25, shot 27-year-old Gabrielle Prenell at the Hampton Inn on Cheyenne Drive off of Interstate 55 in McComb. The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 in front of their 3 children. According to investigators, Danny shot himself once and shot his wife two times.

They were both airlifted from Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb and rushed to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson. Their conditions are unknown as of Thursday morning but their children are already in the custody of child protective services. 

In a Facebook post that was sent from the Hampton Inn hotel where the shooting took place, Prenell captioned a picture with his wife and kids: ‘I may not be a perfect man, but I’ll always be a family man.’

According to Prenell’s Facebook page, he’s a former sheriff’s deputy with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department up until as recently as December 2022. 

Also, on April 6, 2023, Prenell paid tribute to his wife on her birthday calling her ‘my queen’ and ‘the woman that I love and owe my life to.’

‘I’ve watched your growth on all levels and you’re a great mother, wife, and my best friend. I’m proud to be your husband because you are a woman of class, discretion, integrity, and most importantly….you’re a woman of God,’ he added.

The pastor regularly spoke about his self-growth in Facebook posts. 

‘At the age of 25, I often hear that I’m far beyond my years. However, I never get satisfied with where I am….I’m constantly looking for more,’ he wrote on April 16. 

‘People with small minds will keep you locked up into what can fit into their heads. The God I serve doesn’t have a limit, and I’m staying faithful because I know my cup shall run over,’ he added. 

Brenda Gross writes out of Nashville, Texas for various blogs.