Timeline of the shooting and response:
~11:06 AM: Wayne Police begin receiving 911 calls reporting an active shooter at CrossPointe Community Church. About 150 people were attending a late-morning service at the time.
11:10–11:15 AM: The suspect arrives in the church parking lot, driving erratically. He exits his vehicle wearing camouflage tactical gear and armed with a long gun (rifle) and a handgun. Immediately upon exiting, he opens fire outside the church building.
Moments later: As the shooter approaches the church and continues firing, church staff enact their security protocol. They lock the front doors to prevent entry and move congregants toward safety. A parishioner in a pickup truck sees the gunman and strikes him with the vehicle to disrupt the attack. The gunman, knocked to the ground, shoots at the truck multiple times but fails to stop it.
Confrontation with Security: At least two church security team members (who are also parishioners) engage the shooter with their own firearms. The church’s armed security guard and another staff member exchange gunfire with the suspect near the front door, ultimately shooting him multiple times and inflicting fatal wounds. During the gunfight, one security team member is hit in the leg by the gunman’s fire.
~11:15 AM: The suspect is down. Congregants inside, initially unsure what the noises were, are instructed by a security guard to evacuate once it’s clear an attack is occurring. Many flee out the back of the sanctuary or take cover as the ordeal unfolds outside. ...
Suspect: Police identified the deceased gunman, 31, of Romulus, Michigan. The suspect was a resident of a nearby community and, notably, his mother is a member of the CrossPointe church, with the suspect himself having attended a couple of services there in the past year. Despite this connection, investigators have not found evidence of a personal grudge against the church; initially, officials even stated he had “no known connection” to the congregation beyond his mother’s involvement.
Background: The suspect had no prior criminal history and very limited prior contact with law enforcement. Family and police information suggest he may have been suffering from a mental health crisis at the time of the attack. Chief Ryan Strong noted that the suspect appeared to be acting alone and that his motivation remains unclear. Investigators have been searching for any writings, social media posts, or other clues to explain why he targeted the church, but as of the latest updates no definitive motive has been determined. Notably, police stated there is no evidence linking the suspect’s actions to any ideological cause or recent world events, quelling speculation that the incident might have been inspired by conflicts in the Middle East or other extremist motives. All signs so far point to an isolated act by an individual in crisis. ...
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