Video shows pastor fight back during armed carjacking in Baltimore: “He picked the wrong car”

By Tara Lynch, Adam Thompson, JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Video obtained by WJZ shows a pastor from a Connecticut church fighting back as he was carjacked at gunpoint while visiting Baltimore on June 29.

Pastor Kenneth Moales Jr., who serves as the Bishop-Elect for the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bridgeport, Connecticut, told WJZ that he was meeting friends for dinner on East Pratt Street in Upper Fells Point when a teenager approached his car and demanded that he get out.

The pastor said he fought back until the teen got away and drove off with the car.

“He’s placed materialism over my life, and unfortunate for him, he picked the wrong car,” Maoles said.

Baltimore police said officers found the car hours later down the street on South Broadway. Three teens were arrested – ages 15, 16, and 19 years old.

“I knew something wasn’t right when I went to grab him with my car, he’s pulling up his ski mask over his face and puts the gun to the window and says, ‘Get out of the car now.’ (I) start to think, ‘What is going on? Like, I’m about to get carjacked.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Moales said the incident happened outside of a Baltimore restaurant as the bishop-elect was arriving. Moales was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“We are relieved to confirm that the perpetrator has been arrested and his vehicle has been recovered without damage,” said spokesperson Tiffani Palmer. “Bishop-Elect Moales is receiving medical care and, by God’s grace, is expected to fully recover.”

Pastor carjacked in Baltimore

Officers responded to the 1700 block of East Pratt Street around 8:45 p.m. on June 29 for a reported carjacking.

Moales, Jr. told police that three unidentified males approached his vehicle, and one of the suspects asked for the time. As Moales rolled down his window, the suspect pulled out a handgun.

The suspect then demanded that Moales get out of the vehicle. When he got out, there was a short physical altercation, police said.

One of the suspects then hit Moales and was able to get in his vehicle and flee the scene.

Officers found Moales’ vehicle on June 30 in the 600 block of South Broadway. When they attempted to stop the car, the drivers bailed out.

At that point, the teen boys and the 19-year-old man were arrested, according to police.

Carjacking captured on video

WJZ obtained video of the carjacking, which shows the teen approaching the car and the fight that ensued.

Moales says the suspect hit him in the head with the pistol before he attempted to restrain the gunman.

When he learned it was a teen, Moales explained he is a husband, father, and pastor, and he wanted to let go. That’s when the teen grabbed his shoe, his gun, and took the car, Moales said.

“To be honest with you, I’m more hurt that he didn’t have respect for me as a pastor, that after giving him a chance,” Moales said. “You know, we already fought you, obviously, I obviously have the advantage over you, and I didn’t take that chance while you were down.”

Fells Point community reacts to violent carjacking

Moales says he is taking this situation and making it his mission to make an impact on young people.

“I gotta get our, our generation of young men back to God, back to hope,” Moales said. “Back to a vibrant part of our community. We gotta save our sons. Because, as a community, sons go down, that’s the whole community.”

Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said he wants those arrested to be held responsible.

“We have to be able to not just arrest you when you commit a crime like that, but also make sure you are held accountable,” Scott said.>

Residents in Upper Fells Point say it is concerning that this violent carjacking happened in their neighborhood.

“I try to look at my car once a day to make sure everything is OK with it,” resident Ally Campbell said. “When I go out of town, and things like that, it’s definitely something that’s on my mind. I hate to hear that it was like right there.”

“I think that’s always something in the back of your mind, when you’re thinking about it, it’s the city of Baltimore,” resident Alex Sim said. “I just didn’t feel like it was something that would happen so close.”

Carjackings and juvenile crime in Baltimore

While Baltimore has seen a historic drop in crime over the past year, carjackings involving juveniles continue to be an issue in the city.

In 2024, Baltimore Police reported a total of 265 carjackings. So far in 2025, 192 carjackings have been reported.

During the first week of July, at least nine teens were arrested for two separate carjackings.

On July 1, a carjacking involving five teens was captured on video. Two 14-year-old boys, a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, and a 17-year-old boy were arrested.

Three of the teens were on ankle monitors for separate crimes, police said.

On July 2, four teens were arrested in connection with a carjacking, and one was charged as an adult.

The arrests of two 15-year-old boys, a 14-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old boy came after a short chase with police.

Officers said three of the teens had been involved in previous armed robberies and auto thefts.

The incident had neighbors frustrated.

“Several times, it’s already been noted that the same one they lock up today is right out there the same day they lock them or the next day doing it all over again,” one neighbor told WJZ.

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