Charles Wesco, American Missionary Killed In Africa, Was ‘Targeted,’ Brother Says

An American missionary was shot and killed in northwestern Cameroon on Tuesday when he was caught up in the ongoing conflict between armed separatists and soldiers in the African nation.

Charles Trumann Wesco, a missionary from Indiana, had permanently moved with his wife Stephanie Wesco, and their eight children to Bamenda, Cameroon, a couple of weeks ago, after having carried out an array of missions in the African nation over the years.

Charles and Stephanie were in their car, being driven by another missionary, from Bamenda to Bamnui when the incident took place. The victim was in the front seat when two bullets hit the windshield before striking him in the head. While he was seriously wounded, no one else was hurt. Charles was rushed to a hospital in Bamenda.

"He died in our hospital after all attempts to save his life," hospital director Kingue Thomson Njie said, VOA News reported.

Tension has been growing between separatists and the military as the former continue to push for Bamenda to be declared an independent state. Regional Gov. Deben Tchoffo said on Tuesday, the anti-governmental groups staged attacks to stop the reopening of the University of Bamenda.

Four people suspected to be involved in Charles’ death were killed by the military and many others were arrested, Col. Didier Badjeck said.

While the investigation is still undergoing, Charles’ brother, Timothy Wesco, told ABC News he believed that it was not a random killing.

"It appears that he was targeted quite probable he was targeted because he was a white, English-speaking American,” Timothy said, adding he was afraid for the safety of his family.

He added that his brother and sister-in-law had spent the last two years raising financial support to move to Africa. “Their objective was to share the love of Christ with people in a very poor and strife-ridden country," Timothy said. "That was their passion, and that was their life -- to share Jesus Christ."

Charles’ mother, Rebecca Wesco, described him as a “hard worker” and someone who was “excited about everything,” adding that Christian faith played a big role in his life.

"My husband already prayed for his killer," Rebecca told NBC-affiliated WNDU. "Charles would want us to do that, he would."

She also reiterated the fact that their belief in God was also something that was helping the family cope with the death of Charles.

"We know for certain he's in heaven, we don't have any shadow of a doubt," said his mother. "He had sins, but he had asked God to forgive him, and he really truly wanted to love God more than his very life."

Dave Halyman, assistant pastor at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana, where Stephanie Wesco's father, Don Williams, is the senior pastor, said: "We're shocked and grieving at what's occurred. We're trying to get over the shock of losing someone as wonderful as Charles was. While we don't like this, we understand that God has a great purpose."