Ardmore community leaning on prayer and each other after American Legion Post shooting
ARDMORE, Pa. (CBS) -- The Ardmore community showed strength in numbers Friday night. Following a tough past couple of days, they gathered at the Bethel AME Church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
One was on Memorial Day when Lower Merion police said Andrew McCutchen, 35, shot a 26-year-old man at the Spencer Reid American Legion Post on Monday just before 7 p.m. McCutchen is wanted for attempted homicide and other related offenses, according to police. He's considered armed and dangerous.
The 26-year-old man was struck by gunfire multiple times and placed in critical but stable condition, according to police.
After McCutchen fled the American Legion with another man in a dark gray 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS, police said a man exited the post and fired gunshots at McCutchen inside the car. Police said they arrested that man.
It's unclear if McCutchen or the other man were struck by gunfire.
"It's important that we don't allow an incident like that to intimidate, to bring in fear, to make people think that their safety is no longer in place," said Rev. Dr. Marsha Brown Woodard from Saints Memorial Baptist Church.
"Any time you have something traumatic like that happen, it has a major impact on the community," said Michael Stitt, a pastor at Saints Memorial Baptist Church. "So it's critical that the community knows that we are there. We'll always be there for them and to support them."
The community said they are using the power of prayer to help heal and vow to stay together through good times and bad.
The Main Line Black Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance hosted the event. Faith leaders and police were there to ensure the community knew they were not alone and that resources and help were available.
"So everyone is here tonight to kind of support each other and to just stand together and to try and let everyone know we're all here to support each other and try to make things a little bit easier," said Lower Merion Police Department Capt. Eugene Pasternak.
Faith leaders said they will continue to meet and build a bond stronger than ever.
"To have community coming out in a strong way just shows we can lean on each other, we can depend on each other, that we're in this together," said Rev. Carolyn Cavaness of Bethel AME Church in Ardmore.
In the meantime, the search for McCutchen continues. Police said he is 5-foot 11-inches and weighs about 220 pounds. He has a full black beard and medium hair in short braids or twists. McCutchen also has teardrop tattoos under his right eye and a dime-sized dark mark under his left eye, according to police.
McCutchen was last seen wearing eyeglasses, a black soft-brimmed hat, a white T-shirt, black athletic shorts, white socks and sneakers.
Police said the dark gray Chevrolet Trailblazer McCutchen fled in has a Pennsylvania registration of MMN-9443. The car also has a bumper sticker next to the license plate that reads "Rest Awhile For Miles," a tow hitch, Chevrolet-branded mud flaps and a roof rack.
Authorities said the Trailblazer may also have bullet holes or broken windows on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Police are urging anyone with information about McCutchen's whereabouts or the Chevrolet Trailblazer to contact Lower Merion Police at 610-649-1000 or 610-645-6228.
