Texas church service stabbing leaves at least one dead; suspect in custody

Marco Moreno was accused of stabbing four people Wednesday night. (Nueces County Jail)

At least one person died after a knife-wielding man went on a stabbing rampage during a church service at a private home in Texas Wednesday night, police said.

Corpus Christi police Lt. Chris Hooper said 12 to 20 people were in the home when an apparent member of the congregation pulled a knife and stabbed four men.

A 61-year-old man died of his injuries, while the church’s pastor was hospitalized in serious condition. Hooper declined to identify the victims.

The other two people stabbed were expected to survive.

The suspect, Marco Antonio Moreno, 28, surrendered to congregants. He is being held at the Nueces County jail on murder and aggravated assault charges.

Jail records do not indicate whether he has an attorney. His bail was set at $1.45 million.

Hooper said Moreno has an "alcohol- and drug-related history" with police.

It was not immediately clear what led to the attack.

Those attending services at the home have been gathering there each day as part of a "40-day pledge," Lt. Jay Clement said, adding that witnesses said the suspect was a parishioner.

Police did not identify the church, but KRIS-TV reported that the address of the home matched up with Kingdom Acts Ministries International.

"I never thought this would happen," Elena Flores told KRIS-TV. "I never thought I would be a witness to this or my husband. We arrived late so I was thinking that could have been my husband because it seems like he was going after the guys, the men."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.