US Pastor Josh Sullivan rescued by South African police in shootout after abduction from church

An American pastor abducted by gunmen during his sermon at a South African church last week was rescued during a deadly “high-stakes” shootout, which left three suspects dead.

Josh Sullivan, 45, was rescued by the “Hawks” — the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation — during a fatal shootout in the southeastern port city of Gqeberha on Tuesday, the South African Police Service said.

Three unidentified suspects were killed in the “high-stakes shootout.”

Sullivan was found “miraculously” unharmed in a safe house, officials said.

The Tennessee native was preaching to his congregation of about 30 people at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell when four armed men broke in and abducted him on April 10.

The self-proclaimed “church planting missionary” moved his family from the US to South Africa in November 2018 to establish a church for Xhosa-speaking people, according to his personal website.

This is a developing story check back later for updates