Crime
Deacon Richard Pryor Hailed for Stopping Potential Mass Shooting by Striking Suspect Brian Browning with truck at Crosspoint Community Church
Richard Pryor, a deacon at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, is being recognized for his extraordinary courage after intervening in an attempted mass shooting on Sunday, June 22.
According to Steven Lewellyn, who launched a fundraiser to support Pryor, the deacon was in the church parking lot when he saw a heavily armed man approaching the church entrance.
Realizing the imminent danger, Pryor acted swiftlyโusing his Ford F-150 truck to strike the gunman, effectively halting his advance and buying crucial seconds for church security to respond.
โRichardโs quick thinking and bravery gave our armed security team the time they needed to neutralize the threat before anyone else could be harmed,โ Lewellyn wrote.
Pryorโs truck was hit by multiple rounds during the confrontation and was destroyed in the process.
The Wayne Police Department confirmed that the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning of Romulus, had arrived at the church wearing camouflage clothing and a tactical vest, retrieving firearms from his vehicle with the apparent intent to enter the building.
He was ultimately shot and killed by a church security guard outside the entrance before police arrived.
According to Senior Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr., the suspect never made it inside the church, though he fired several shots toward the building.
Approximately 150 people, including a large number of children, were attending a vacation Bible school service at the time.
โ[Browning] was run over by one of our members who saw what was happening as he arrived,โ Pastor Kelly told media. โThe security guard then had enough time to respond.โ
A security team member was injured, suffering a gunshot wound to the leg, but no other attendees were physically harmed.
Video footage from the church’s livestream captured the moment panic spread through the congregation. Commands like โGet down!โ and โEverybody to the back!โ can be heard as staff quickly moved to protect those inside.
Wayne Police later confirmed that Browning had no prior criminal record and no history of police encounters, but believe he may have been experiencing a mental health crisis.
Investigators said Browning had visited the church on three occasions over the past year and was the son of a woman who occasionally attended services, though neither were official members of the congregation.
โWe are incredibly grateful for the heroic actions of the church’s staff and members,โ the Wayne Police Department stated. โTheir bravery undoubtedly prevented a large-scale tragedy.โ
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wayne Police Department.
A fundraiser is currently underway to support Deacon Richard Pryor, whose selfless actions may have saved dozens of lives.
His truck, which was destroyed in the incident, symbolized the quick response that stopped a devastating attack.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. โ Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.