A dispute between a youth minister and a pastor’s son ended in violence and death on Sunday, as Denzel Branch of New Generation Church in Dallas was shot and killed following the church’s Easter service.
Branch, 31, had served as New Generation Church’s youth minister for several years and had just preached at the church’s Good Friday service. Branch’s mother, Shaylor Wilcot, told WFAA that Branch was a father of five.
Joshua Bell, 30, was taken into custody following the shooting. Police say that he admitted to shooting Branch. Bell is the son of New Generation Church founding and lead pastor, Eric J. Andrews.
According to FOX 4, Bell was in a romantic relationship with Branch’s ex-wife.
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After service on Sunday (March 31), the two men got into a verbal altercation down the street from New Generation Church. The altercation turned physical when Branch reportedly punched Bell in the face through the open window of the car Bell was sitting in.
It was then that eyewitnesses said Bell pulled a gun and began firing. Bell later told police that Branch had attempted to flee but that Bell had continued to fire at Branch until “he saw [Branch] laying on the middle of the road,” according to the Christian Post.
Bell initially left the scene but later turned himself into police. Bell reportedly told police that he had been in an intimate relationship with Branch’s ex-wife since May 2023 and that she divorced Branch around November 2023.
Bell has been charged with murder.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Monday (April 1), New Generation Church said, “Our hearts are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that took place down the street from our church after our morning service yesterday.”
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“We sincerely appreciate everyone’s prayers and concern and we ask for your continued prayers for the families and our church family as we navigate through these difficult times,” the statement continued.
