Latest news with #churchshooting
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dealer replaces Ford F-150 of man who ran over alleged church shooter
Dealer replaces Ford F-150 of man who ran over alleged church shooter originally appeared on Autoblog. Driver Says Pickup Truck Was A Substitute Weapon Of Self Defense A Michigan dealership has replaced the 2018 Ford F-150 of Richard Pryor, who ran over a man he saw firing a rifle and handgun outside a suburban Detroit church, reports Automotive News. Pryor, a deacon at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, was arriving late for June 22 services when he saw the shooter, clad in a tactical vest. "I'm just realizing there's no time," Pryor told Automotive News and other media July 10, saying the man, later identified as Brian Browning, who had attended the church occasionally with his mother. "I didn't have a weapon on me, in the truck or anything, so what are your options?" Pryor ran over Browning, who reports say began firing at the truck. Browning was killed by two other church staff members armed with their own guns. Police told ABC News that the actions of the three church staff "prevented a large-scale mass shooting." But while this use of a vehicle as a weapon appears to have done some good, others, such as the 2017 attack on protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a Dodge Challenger, show that like any other weapon, a car can be dangerous in the wrong hands. F-150 Reward The truck was Pryor's only vehicle, and was left out of commission after the incident. Jack Demmer Ford reportedly gave Pryor a free two-year lease on a new F-150, worth about $70,000. Full-size pickups can get much more expensive than that, of course, given the tendency of Ford and other brands to devise lineups top-heavy with high-end models. The F-Series—encompassing the half-ton F-150 and the heavy-duty Super Duty trucks—has been the bestselling vehicle line in the United States for decades, and that trend continued with Ford's recently-reported second-quarter sales results. The automaker reported an 11.5% increase in F-Series sales to 222,459—the best quarter for the truck line since 2019. However, Ford also issued 89 recalls in the first six months of 2025, surpassing a record for annual recalls set by General Motors in 2014. The F-150 is included in some of them, including one recall of over a million vehicles to address a software issue that prevents rearview cameras from displaying a proper live feed. Dealer replaces Ford F-150 of man who ran over alleged church shooter first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan deacon who thwarted gunman with his truck gifted replacement F-150
A Michigan deacon who used his pickup truck to stop an armed gunman outside a church last month received a new Ford F-150 from a local dealership on Thursday. Deacon Richard Pryor was presented with the vehicle at a Ford dealership in Wayne, Michigan, replacing the truck he used to help prevent what police called a potential "large-scale mass shooting" at CrossPointe Community Church on June 22. "I'm nervous but excited," Pryor said during a press conference at the dealership. "I'm just so thankful for everybody's support, for everyone who reached out after the events that Sunday. Everything that transpired afterwards was unexpected, but I'm very grateful." MORE: 'You are your own first responder': Michigan Church security guard details confronting gunman The incident occurred when Robert Browning, 31, approached the church wearing a tactical vest and armed with multiple weapons, according to police. As Browning began firing outside the building, Pyror, who was running late to the service, struck him with his F-150, despite taking multiple shots to his vehicle, officials said. The gunman was fatally shot by Jay Trombley, a church security team member, authorities said. When asked about his quick thinking during the incident, Pryor described the intense moments leading up to his decision to use his vehicle. "While I was on the phone with 911 relaying information, I realized there was no time," Pryor recalled. "I didn't have a weapon on me or in the truck, so what are your options? It just kind of happened. That's where the Lord comes in." Police Chief Ryan Strong praised Pryor and Trombley, saying they prevented what could have been a catastrophic situation. The suspect had no criminal history but appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis, according to officials. One security guard sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr. described the series of events as "divine providence," noting that Pryor's late arrival and quick action were crucial in preventing tragedy.
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Bloodcurdling posts of Michigan church shooter who went 'off the rails' after being tipped for military greatness
A former West Point hopeful made ominous Facebook posts weeks before he opened fire on a church with an AR-15. Brian Anthony Browning, 31, was shot dead by security guards at CrossPointe Church in Wayne, a suburb of Detroit, on Sunday morning. Exactly four weeks before the shooting, on May 25, Browning posted a screenshot of his Facebook feed making his feelings about the church clear. The image showed a video of CrossPointe's April 13 service above one by popular YouTuber PewDiePie titled 'The Biggest Liar Cheapskate!' 'Sometimes God will very "subtly" show you the signs,' he wrote. Two days later he made an even more ominous post that appeared to blame the church for the death of his friend Tyler Piner. 'You have not only lied to men, but have lied unto the Spirit of the Lord. His blood is on your hands CrossPointe Community Church,' he wrote, tagging the church. The post included a selfie of Piner, who died on May 18 aged 29, in front of CrossPointe that he posted to his own page on August 14, 2022. Piner, a father-of-two, lived in Bay City, Michigan, at the time of his death, but lived in Wayne at the time the photo was taken. His cause of death is not yet known, but he spent time in jail for drug and domestic violence crimes in 2015 and 2018, and suffered from sleep apnea. Piner's family offered a $2,000 reward for information 'leading to arrest of drug dealer serving death' and asked for camera footage of street from May 18. 'These ppl they killed my brother and then ran!' his sister Leticia Sanchez wrote. The connection between Browning and Piner and why Browning blamed CrossPointe church for his death is unclear. 'The suspect's mother is a member of the church, in which he has attended church services two or three times over the course of the last year,' police said. Browning was once a promising US Army officer candidate who was on track to study at West Point after graduating high school. He was the valedictorian of Wayne Memorial High School when he graduated in 2012, and was battalion commander of the school's ROTC. Exactly four weeks before the shooting, on May 25, Browning posted a screenshot of his Facebook feed making his feelings about the church clear Browning's proud father Tony posted a photo of his West Point nomination letter from Senator Debbie Stabenow from December 16, 2011. A month earlier he uploaded photos of Browning in his dress uniform alongside his older sister BrieAnn Rice, 33, in her active military uniform. Rice served in the Army National Guard as a truck driver for four years and was deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan just weeks after the photos were taken. However, classmates said Browning's life took a sharp turn after graduation and he never fulfilled the apparent promise his ROTC career held. 'I was a freshman in JROTC back in 2011 when he was the "commander" of sorts for the program,' one wrote online. 'He was fit, confident, honestly seemed like a really well put together guy. Someone to look up to. Then he graduated and life went to hell. 'When I was finishing high school I remember seeing him a few times and he was a completely different person. 'Never thought I'd know a potential mass shooter to any capacity let alone someone I held to a very high standard at any time in my life, yet here we are.' Another classmate added: 'I was very close with him at one point. He was a decent guy when I knew him, but after college he cut almost everyone out and turned recluse.' He began the attack by ramming his Ford F-150 truck into the building at 11.06am before he opened fire during service. The Wayne Police Department said he 'may have been suffering a mental health crisis' and had nothing to do with organized terrorism. 'The church security team was alerted by the gunfire and reacted quickly to engage the suspect outside the main entrance doors of the church,' it said. One security guard was shot twice in the leg and is recovering in hospital after surgery. Some bullets went into the church by no one else was hurt. Browning was armed with a AR-15-style assault rifle with more than a dozen magazines of ammunition, and a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, police said. Police found rifles, semi-automatic handguns, and a large amount of ammunition when they searched his home after the shooting. However, he had no criminal history or prior contact with police, and the motive for his attack, beyond his mental crisis, is unknown. Horrific footage from a church service's livestream showed the moment that frantic families started running for their lives when an active shooter opened fire. The bloodcurdling video showed churchgoers suddenly realize the unfolding terror and run towards the door. Young children were on the stage and in the pews with their parents, before one member directed the congregation to 'get down' and run to the back of the building. Chilling screams, 'come on, come on', were heard as kids and adults fled for their lives, followed by a loud bang and shouting off-screen. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, said the agency was on the ground providing 'assistance and investigative support' in Wayne. The church's senior pastors, Bobby Kelly Jr, told The Detroit News that a member ran the shooter over, giving the security guard a chance to shoot them. 'He (the suspect) was run over by one of our members who saw this happening when he was coming into church,' the pastor said. '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,' Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said Kelly added that there were about 150 people in attendance for the vacation Bible school service. Many of the attendees were children. The pastor said that when the congregation initially heard noises outside, they thought it was from construction. He said that the church hired security more than a decade ago in response to increased violence against places of worship. Kelly said they felt like 'sitting ducks' without protection. The congregation's leadership is planning a meeting to put together a plan for dealing with the shooting's aftermath. When asked about the children who witnessed the shooting, he said they were 'doing good' and that the congregation was coming together to support one another. The church's official schedule had events listed from 9am to 6pm. CrossPointe also hosts adult and teen Sunday School and kids Sunday school at the church from 9.30 to 10.30am. Wendy Bodin, a witness at the church, told ClickOnDetroit that she was in the lobby answering a phone call when she saw the attacker. 'It was the scariest thing I've ever been involved in,' Bodin recalled. She said she initially thought the shooter just crashed his car, but then fled to the bathroom when she heard gunshots. Bodin hid out in the bathroom with another churchgoer and eventually fled the building to meet the rest of the congregation in the woods. 'I was hiding in one of the bathrooms and stood on the toilet and shut the door. We didn't know what was going on, but we knew it was bad,' she said. She said she was grateful for security and the church leaders following protocol. 'Fortunately they got everyone out of the building safe. We did have one man for sure got shot in the leg, but he's OK, from what I've been told. So, praise God,' she said. Bodin said the church held services outside last weekend for Father's Day and was grateful the attack didn't happen then.
CNN
23-06-2025
- CNN
Man who opened fire outside a Michigan church had attended services there with his mom, pastor says
Crime Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink Follow The man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshippers before he was struck by a vehicle and fatally shot by security staff had attended services there a few times with his mother, the lead pastor said Monday. Brian Anthony Browning's mother attended the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne in spurts but was not a regular member, Pastor Bobby Kelly said. She was not there Sunday, said Kelly, who recalled meeting her son late last year. 'He first came when his mother invited him, and I met him,' Kelly said. 'He seemed to really have some thoughts that were not threatening or anything like that, but he definitely had some thoughts as far as hearing from God.' Children from the church's vacation Bible school were leading Sunday's worship and were just finishing up their last song when the congregation heard gunfire outside. Kelly, who was about to start his sermon, initially thought the noise was a jackhammer or a problem with the sound system. 'The third time is when we knew something was going on, because it was very close, and then one of our security team members came into the sanctuary doors from the lobby and told everyone to get out,' he said. A livestream video shows people carrying children or directing them to get down and move away. 'C'mon, everybody to the back,' a woman calls out. The woman, who was initially crouching between two rows of seats, stands and waves an arm. 'Please, everyone come to the back!' People, some of them ducking their heads, rush out as others can be heard yelling 'Go!' and 'Come on!' A loud crack is heard and people cry out. Those remaining run and walk quickly out of sight. Browning, 31, did not have any previous contacts with local police or a criminal history but may have been suffering a mental health crisis, the Wayne Police Department said in a news release. Kelly said a church member arriving late to the service spotted Browning driving recklessly and called out to him as he exited his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun. The church member struck Browning with his pickup truck. 'He is a hero,' Kelly said of the parishioner. 'I think that was the Lord leading him to do that. He hit this individual with his car, drove right on the grass because he was shooting at the building at the time. And that certainly helped the team to be able to respond.' The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg. At least two staff members shot him, Police Chief Ryan Strong said. About 150 people were inside the church at the time. '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 at a news conference Sunday night. One member of the security team was shot in the leg and was listed in stable condition at a hospital after undergoing surgery, the news release said. No one else was hurt. Wayne is a city of about 17,000 people located about 25 miles west of Detroit. Police executing a search warrant at Browning's home in Romulus, about 5 miles south of Wayne, found additional rifles, several more handguns and a large amount of ammunition, the news release said. Browning's mother did not respond to a Facebook message sent Sunday by The Associated Press. 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!'' Kelly, who has been pastor for about 10 years, had intended to preach about God's 'hand of deliverance' and His ability to save and protect. In drawing up the church calendar, he originally planned to have two outdoor services in June but months ago decided to only do one, on Father's Day. 'We weren't outside yesterday when we would have been,' he said. 'We were definitely protected by the hand of God, there is no question about it.'
CNN
23-06-2025
- CNN
Man who opened fire outside a Michigan church had attended services there with his mom, pastor says
Crime Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink Follow The man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshippers before he was struck by a vehicle and fatally shot by security staff had attended services there a few times with his mother, the lead pastor said Monday. Brian Anthony Browning's mother attended the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne in spurts but was not a regular member, Pastor Bobby Kelly said. She was not there Sunday, said Kelly, who recalled meeting her son late last year. 'He first came when his mother invited him, and I met him,' Kelly said. 'He seemed to really have some thoughts that were not threatening or anything like that, but he definitely had some thoughts as far as hearing from God.' Children from the church's vacation Bible school were leading Sunday's worship and were just finishing up their last song when the congregation heard gunfire outside. Kelly, who was about to start his sermon, initially thought the noise was a jackhammer or a problem with the sound system. 'The third time is when we knew something was going on, because it was very close, and then one of our security team members came into the sanctuary doors from the lobby and told everyone to get out,' he said. A livestream video shows people carrying children or directing them to get down and move away. 'C'mon, everybody to the back,' a woman calls out. The woman, who was initially crouching between two rows of seats, stands and waves an arm. 'Please, everyone come to the back!' People, some of them ducking their heads, rush out as others can be heard yelling 'Go!' and 'Come on!' A loud crack is heard and people cry out. Those remaining run and walk quickly out of sight. Browning, 31, did not have any previous contacts with local police or a criminal history but may have been suffering a mental health crisis, the Wayne Police Department said in a news release. Kelly said a church member arriving late to the service spotted Browning driving recklessly and called out to him as he exited his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun. The church member struck Browning with his pickup truck. 'He is a hero,' Kelly said of the parishioner. 'I think that was the Lord leading him to do that. He hit this individual with his car, drove right on the grass because he was shooting at the building at the time. And that certainly helped the team to be able to respond.' The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg. At least two staff members shot him, Police Chief Ryan Strong said. About 150 people were inside the church at the time. '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 at a news conference Sunday night. One member of the security team was shot in the leg and was listed in stable condition at a hospital after undergoing surgery, the news release said. No one else was hurt. Wayne is a city of about 17,000 people located about 25 miles west of Detroit. Police executing a search warrant at Browning's home in Romulus, about 5 miles south of Wayne, found additional rifles, several more handguns and a large amount of ammunition, the news release said. Browning's mother did not respond to a Facebook message sent Sunday by The Associated Press. 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!'' Kelly, who has been pastor for about 10 years, had intended to preach about God's 'hand of deliverance' and His ability to save and protect. In drawing up the church calendar, he originally planned to have two outdoor services in June but months ago decided to only do one, on Father's Day. 'We weren't outside yesterday when we would have been,' he said. 'We were definitely protected by the hand of God, there is no question about it.'
