A man opened fire outside of a church in Wayne, Mich., on Sunday (June 22).
Those attending the morning service at CrossPointe Community Church noticed the gunman — identified as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning — driving haphazardly and then exiting his vehicle, carrying a rifle and handgun and wearing a tactical vest, according to police Chief Ryan Strong.
He began firing as he approached the church, shooting one person in the leg. They suffered no life-threatening injuries. Moments later, the gunman was hit by a churchgoer’s car before being fatally shot by the church’s security. They were later praised by local authorities for helping to prevent a mass casualty. At the time, there were roughly 150 people inside the church.
AP reported that his mother is a member at the church and he had attended services “a couple of times in the last year.”
“A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,” Strong explained to reporters during a press conference. “At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing the fatal wounds.”
He continued, “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. I would add that the church parishioners and staff members were trained in responding to emergency situations, which also saved lives.”
The service was being live-streamed and there is video surveillance of guests evacuating after initially mistaking the gunfire for construction noises. Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III said that Browning’s motive was unclear, but they believe he was “suffering from a mental health crisis.”
While executing a search warrant at Browning’s home about five miles south of the incident, police found additional rifles, several more handguns, and a large amount of ammunition.
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