Church employee charged after firing shots at pastor

Deputies said an Osceola County church
employee has been charged after he opened fire
on a pastor, who then pulled out his own gun and
shot the employee.
The exchange of gunfire happened at the Living
Water Fellowship Church on Pleasant Hill Road
around 8 a.m.
According to investigators, a meeting was taking
place to terminate the employment of
maintenance worker Benjamin Parangan, Jr.
Deputies said Parangan, 47, pulled out a gun and
fired several shots at Pastor Terry Howell.
Howell was not injured, but he returned fire with
his own gun, striking Parangan. Parangan was
taken to Osceola Regional Medical Center, where
he is in stable condition.
Members of the church told Channel 9 they were
shaken up after hearing about the incident.
"To hear it happened here in my neighborhood,
and not only my neighborhood, but my church,
it's shocking," said Robert Quintana.
"It's just a tough situation right now," said
Gabriel Colon.
Several church employees witnessed the shooting
and gave similar statements to detectives about
what happened.
"There is a child care facility on the property at
the church. It was not affected in any way by this
isolated incident," said Twis Lizauain, of the
Osceola County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives were seen serving a search warrant at
Parangan's Osceola County home Tuesday night.
It's unclear what, if anything, was found in the
house.
Investigators told Eyewitness News that Howell's
involvement is being investigated as a case of
self-defense.
"It could happen anywhere though, (in) the times
we live in. Really unfortunate," said Quintana.
Parangan has been charged with aggravated
assault with intent to kill. He will be booked into
the Osceola County Jail after he's released from
the hospital.