A man clad in a tactical vest and carrying a long gun and handgun opened fire on a Michigan church filled with children attending Vacation Bible School on Sunday before being fatally shot by two members of the church’s staff, officials said.
The shooting, which was reported a little after 11 a.m. at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Mich., which is about 25 miles west of Detroit, left one church staff member with a gunshot wound in a leg, the Wayne police chief, Ryan Strong, said at a news conference on Sunday night.
The staff members who opened fire were not publicly identified. The chief said the staff member who was shot had injuries that were not life-threatening.
The chief credited the emergency training of staff and parishioners for swiftly responding to the threat.
“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.
The gunman was not publicly identified but the chief said he was a 31-year-old man from Romulus, Mich., which is about 10 minutes from the church. Chief Strong said the man’s motives for the attack were not known but added that he appeared to be in a mental health crisis.
The chief said police interactions with the man in the past had been limited and were “nothing of note.” The police were unaware of any connection the man had to the church, he added.
The episode began when the man drove recklessly near the church, drawing the attention of staff members who were outside.
The gunman exited the vehicle, began shouting and starting firing upon the church building. Chief Strong said one of the church employees struck him with a vehicle, as the gunman fired repeatedly at it.
The shooter was not able to enter the church, the chief said, but he described the man as being “quite close.”
Two church employees opened fire on the man, killing him. All the gunfire happened outside of the building, the chief said.
A livestream of the church service, which has since been taken down, showed a stage set up to look like a campsite on a lakeshore.
The livestream shows a crowd of at least 20 people, including many children, mill about after the presentation concludes when suddenly shouting can be heard as people start getting down behind seats and running.
A woman tells people to “come to the back,” and someone can be heard yelling “go, go, go” as dozens of people rush in the same direction.
Andy Pugh, one of pastors at the church, said that he was unaware of any threats to the church leading up to the shooting. Mr. Pugh said the stage was full of children at the time of the attack because the church was hosting its Vacation Bible School.
“Thankfully we were able to get everyone out,” he said.
The church’s pastor, Bobby Kelly, and a few of its members appeared weary as they left a community center where the police had transported attendees in buses after the shooting.
Mr. Kelly declined to comment, saying only that church members were “worn out.”
“It’s been a long day,” he added.
Jason Suchan, 50, who lives down the road from the church, rode his bike to get there after his Ring camera app alerted him to the shooting.
“State police cars were coming down the road at super high speed, and there was an ambulance flying away,” he said in a phone interview on Sunday.
Mr. Suchan is not a member of the congregation, but he said he had grown up hanging out at the church, running around on its roof and playing hockey in its gym.
He noted that things could have been worse on Sunday because the church had been doing some outdoor services, including one as recently as last Sunday.
“Imagine if they had been outside,” he said.
Oralandar Brand-Williams contributed reporting from Wayne, Mich.
Amanda Holpuch covers breaking news and other topics.
The post Gunman Opens Fire on Michigan Church and Is Fatally Shot by Staff Members, Police Say appeared first on New York Times.
