The article says this took place on the front row, meaning the pastor may have been in the best position to see what was happening, and very close to it.
It depends.
The pastor may have been the only one out in front of the congregation, or there may have been a choir, or maybe one or two elders/associate pastors/bishops on an amen pew off to the side.
The pastor may have been up on a raised dias, on top of a raised platform, or he may have been right there, at floor level with the miscreant. Or some place in between.
Maybe he knew more about the people involved, and was more mentally prepared to accept what was happening, and then act.