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Church Active Shooter Prevention Saves Lives in Wayne, MI

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, a heavily armed gunman opened fire outside CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, during a morning service. Thanks to effective Church Active Shooter Prevention measures—including the quick actions of a trained security team and a brave parishioner—a large-scale mass shooting was stopped before it could unfold.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Book Review: Defending the Flock ]

Kris P. Moloney, founder of Sheepdog Church Security (SDCS) certification curriculum, writes about the lessons learned in his after action incident report.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Shooting Analysis Reports ]

“In summary,” he writes, “the Wayne church shooting incident ended with the intended victims unharmed, aside from one injured security guard, thanks to the brave and prompt reaction of church members. The suspect was armed for a massacre, but he was stopped before he could reach the 150 men, women, and children inside. Police and community leaders have hailed this outcome as ‘the best possible outcome in a worst-case scenario,’ while also acknowledging the trauma it inflicted. The incident is now prompting other communities to examine their own security plans, and investigators continue working to understand what led to the suspect’s deadly actions. Wayne’s CrossPointe Community Church, though scarred by the event, has emerged as an example of preparedness and courage under fire, illustrating both the challenges and the hope in Church active shooter prevention going forward.”

Read the lessons learned as presented by Kris on Sheepdog Sentinel.

ALSO READ:
• Christian Warrior Training — Source Close to the Investigation Shares New Details on Michigan Church Shooting

• Worship Facility Security — Security Team at CrossPointe Church Stops Armed Attacker in Seconds

— Get the SemperVerus booklet, The Case for Biblical Self-Defense —

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of CHURCH SECURITY ]

Learn about the Sheepdog Church Security certification program for your church safety team

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Church Security Intelligence Clipboard

Key Church Security Articles

• A Prayer for Church Security Team Members

• Church Security Book Review: Defending the Flock

• The 5 Lines of Defense in Church Security, Beginning Outside

• Church Security: Radio Communications Best Practices

• Church Security Training: Decision Decks Help You Think Through a Crisis Before It Happens

• A Simple Chart for Situational Awareness

• Make Scanning Your Priority

• Checklist: Church Security/Safety Equipment

Benefit From the Church Emergency Response Network

MAGEN DAVID ADOM, Israel’s Red Cross, describes itself as the most experienced mass-casualty response organization in the world.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Training: Decision Decks Help You Think Through a Crisis Before It Happens ]

As Israel’s national ambulance, blood services, and disaster relief organization, the 30,000 mostly volunteer workers of Magen David Adom (Hebrew for “Red Star of David”) respond to 8 million calls a year.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Understand the Times and Know What to Do ]

Because of the wars and repeated terrorist attacks against Israel, the non-profit agency has emerged as a world leader in emergency medical services.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Directory of Medical Kit Resources ]

American Friends of Magen David Adom has created the Church Emergency Response Network to enable its EMTs and paramedics to share with pastors, church leaders, and houses-of-worship security/safety teams the many lessons they’ve learned through assassin onslaughts, criminal assaults, natural disasters, auto accidents, physical maladies, and more.

Church Security Review: House of Worship Firearms and Use of Force Policy

One of the first responsibilities of a church security/safety team director is to set in writing the policies and procedures of the team to provide clarity in direction and purpose for church leadership and members to exercise sound judgment in the daily security and safety of the church.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Checklist: Church Security/Safety Equipment ]

Policies explain what and why things are done. Procedures explain how things are done. The wide-ranging document typically covers a broad range of categories, including fire, medical, lost child, and more. A model can be found at Southern Mutual Church Insurance Company and a guide is at Sheepdog Church Security and at Christian Warrior Training.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Book Review: Defending the Flock ]

In addition to writing a safety manual that covers general topics for your team, another best practice is to create a separate document dedicated to explaining specifically when and what type of force should and should not be used, since violent bad actors seem to be increasingly targeting houses of worship. Armed congregant security teams, especially, should have written policies regarding their firearms training and the use of non-lethal or less-lethal force methods as well.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Organizing, Training & Running a House of Worship Armed Congregant Security Team ]

Emanuel Kapelsohn, an honors graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School who has practiced law since 1978 in New York, Pennsylvania, and other states, and who is president of The Peregrine Corporation, has created the House of Worship Firearms Use of Force Policy (as a service to SemperVerus readers, Mr. Kapelsohn is making this policy bundle available at a $25 discount from the regular price of $424.50. Order the bundle here. Then, on the checkout page, simply type in the discount promo code SEMPERVERUS25).

SemperVerus received a complimentary copy of the House of Worship Firearms Use of Force Policy for review purposes.