Quick-thinking Churchgoers and Security Team Stop Attacker During Sunday worship at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne
A gunman was fatally shot Sunday morning after opening fire outside CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, while around 150 people—including many children—were gathered inside for a worship service.
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The attacker, identified by authorities as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning, drove recklessly into the church parking lot around 10 a.m., exited his vehicle wearing a tactical vest, and began shooting with a long gun. Police say Browning had a second firearm and extra ammunition in his vehicle.
According to Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong, a churchgoer intervened by driving a pickup truck into the gunman, knocking him to the ground. As the attacker continued to fire, members of the church’s security team responded and fatally shot him outside the building. One security volunteer was shot in the leg and taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
“This could’ve been a mass casualty event,” Strong told reporters at a press conference. “The actions of the individuals who took steps to protect others were nothing short of heroic.”
Police say Browning had no known criminal history but was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis. He had occasionally attended services with his mother but had no official affiliation with the church.
“As details emerge, we are seeing God’s hand of protection more clearly in how what could of been, simply wasn’t,” the church shared in a statement following the incident.
The FBI has joined the investigation, working alongside Wayne police to determine if there were any broader threats or motivations behind the attack. Officials have not indicated any signs of ideological extremism or religious hatred but say they are evaluating all possibilities.
Video footage from the church’s livestream, which has since been circulated by multiple news outlets, shows the moment congregants began evacuating as gunfire erupted outside. The church has not released an official public statement as of this writing.
Local residents and church communities across Michigan are expressing gratitude that more lives were not lost—and are calling for prayer, healing, and awareness in light of the event.
