An active church shooting was stopped by church staff when the suspect was shot and killed by two armed security guards after a deacon hit him with his car.
The attempted shooter opened fire at CrossPointe Church in Wayne, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, on June 22 at around 11:15 AM during a special vacation Bible School service, law enforcement told 7 News Detroit.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said that a FBI team was on the scene assisting local law enforcement.
"Our leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support," Bongino posted on his X account.
“The Wayne Police Department responded to an active shooter at CrossPointe Church in Wayne this morning. Upon arrival, officers determined that a security guard for the church shot and killed the suspect. One victim was shot in the leg. Please avoid the area. Officers are still actively investigating,” the Wayne Police Department said on Facebook.
Witnesses said the suspect drove erratically toward the church, then got out of the vehicle wearing a tactical vest and carrying both a long gun and a handgun before opening fire.
As congregants ran for their lives, a deacon reportedly took action by running over the shooter outside the church, making it easier for security guards to take down the suspect, according to the Detroit News.
"He was run over by one of our members who saw this happening when he was coming into church," CrossPointe Community Church Senior Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr. told the Detroit News.
The man injured by the shooter, identified by local police as one of the church security guards, was taken to a nearby hospital with reportedly non-life threatening injuries.
“We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,” said Wayne Police Department Chief Ryan Strong.
"Their actions prevented dozens of people from being murdered," he added, noting that staff were trained to respond to emergency situations.
Kelly said that his church started a security team about a decade ago in response to shootings committed at other places of worship across the country and until this incident had not received any threats of violence.
Strong described the suspect, who has yet to be publicly identified, as a 31-year-old man from Romulus, Michigan. who is believed to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
The suspect, whose motivation is not yet clear, does not have a prior criminal history and appeared to have acted alone, he said.
Meanwhile, Kelly said that he was not aware of the shooter's identity and he does not appear to be a member of his congregation.
"This incident in Michigan shows just how important a well-trained security team is. At my church, we have a volunteer security team, of which I’m a part, and we employ off-duty deputies to help with security and guarding the tithes and offerings. The combination of professionals and volunteers makes our church much safer," said Chris Queen, an editor and columnist at PJ Media.
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