A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday when a gunman opened fire during a service at a suburban Detroit church, resulting in one injury before being fatally shot by a security guard, according to police reports. The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. at the CrossPointe Community Church, located in Wayne, Michigan, a city with a population of approximately 17,000, situated about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Detroit.
The church's pastor, Bobby Kelly Jr., shared that the shooting resulted in one individual being shot in the leg. Remarkably, a courageous church member intervened by running over the suspect with his truck, allowing the security guard the crucial time needed to react and shoot the assailant. Police have identified the suspect as a 31-year-old white male.
In a twist of events, it was revealed that the person injured in the shooting was, in fact, the security guard himself, as confirmed by Pastor Kelly to the Detroit News. Fortunately, aside from this injury, no other attendees were harmed during the chaotic event. Pastor Kelly noted that approximately 150 people were present at the service, highlighting the potential for a much larger tragedy.
Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III stated that it is still too early to determine the motive behind the attack on the church. The FBI is also involved in the investigation, with Deputy Director Dan Bongino tweeting that the bureau’s “leadership and support teams” are currently at the scene, providing assistance.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach out to the church through voicemail and their Facebook page on Sunday went unanswered, leaving many questions surrounding the incident still unresolved. As the investigation continues, the community remains in shock over this violent intrusion into what should have been a peaceful gathering.
This story has been updated to correct the capitalization of CrossPointe.
