Man Accused of Threatening Church Deemed Competent

CHEROKEE COUNTY — New info about the man who reportedly walked into an East Texas church with a weapon in October. A court ordered psychological evaluation of Rasheed Abdul Aziz, 40, was recently completed in Fort Worth. Doctors found Aziz did not appear to suffer from any mental issues that would impair his ability to understand what he was doing. Therefor, Aziz is mentally competent to stand trial.

Aziz is accused of making a terroristic threat after allegedly antagonizing the Corinth Missionary Baptist Church congregation near Lake Palestine, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. He has not yet been indicted for that charge. He had previously been convicted of an aggravated robbery in Harris County in 1996, thus making it illegal for him to possess a gun. Aziz was taken into custody when Smith County deputies found him in possession of a Taurus PT111 9mm pistol. Authorities also confiscated two magazines and 70 rounds of ammunition. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.