Police say a man opened fire outside a Michigan church before staff fatally shot him
WAYNE, Mich. — A man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshippers on Sunday was struck by a vehicle and then fatally shot by security staff who averted a potential mass shooting, police said.
Churchgoers attending a morning service at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne spotted the gunman driving recklessly and then saw him exit his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun, police Chief Ryan Strong said at an evening news conference.
The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg.
“A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,” Strong told reporters. “At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing the fatal wounds.”
Police described the suspect as a 31-year-old white male with no known connection to the church. His motive remains unclear, but it appears he was suffering from a mental health crisis, Strong said.
The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. in Wayne, a city of about 17,000 people located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Detroit. The person who was shot in the leg was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the chief said. Nobody else was hurt.
Strong said a church member ran the suspect over with his pickup truck, giving security staff time to shoot him.
“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,” the chief said.
About 150 people were inside the church at the time. The church’s website says it hosts a worship service on Sundays at 10:45 a.m.
Worshipper Wendy Bodin said she heard a loud “boom” and when she looked outside, she saw a man sprawled out on the grass in front of the church. “I thought he got hit or crashed his car or was hurt,” Bodin told WXYZ-TV. “And another lady saw and pointed to me and said, ‘Oh my, call 911!'”
Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III said hours later that it was too early to know a motive. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino tweeted that bureau “leadership and support teams” were at the scene and helping with the investigation.
Messages left by The Associated Press on Sunday on voicemail and a Facebook page for the church were not immediately returned.
Danish military evacuates US submariner who needed urgent medical care off Greenland
Denmark's military says its arctic command forces evacuated a crew member of a U.S. submarine off the coast of Greenland for urgent medical treatment.
Only a fraction of House seats are competitive. Redistricting is driving that lower
Primary voters in a small number of districts play an outsized role in deciding who wins Congress. The Trump-initiated mid-decade redistricting is driving that number of competitive seats even lower.
Homeland Security suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs as a partial government shutdown continues.
FCC calls for more ‘patriotic, pro-America’ programming in runup to 250th anniversary
The "Pledge America Campaign" urges broadcasters to focus on programming that highlights "the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today."
NASA’s Artemis II lunar mission may not launch in March after all
NASA says an "interrupted flow" of helium to the rocket system could require a rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building. If it happens, NASA says the launch to the moon would be delayed until April.
Mississippi health system shuts down clinics statewide after ransomware attack
The attack was launched on Thursday and prompted hospital officials to close all of its 35 clinics across the state.
