Man opened fire outside Michigan church before staff fatally shot him, averting mass shooting, police say

WAYNE, Mich. — A man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshipers Sunday was struck by a vehicle and then fatally shot by security staff who averted a potential mass shooting, police said.

Churchgoers attending a morning service at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne spotted a man driving recklessly and then saw him exit his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun, Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said at an evening news conference.

The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg, Strong said.

“A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,” Strong told reporters. “At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing the fatal wounds.”

Police described the suspect as a 31-year-old white male with no known connection to the church. His motive remains unclear, but it appears he was suffering from a mental health crisis, Strong said.

The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. in Wayne, a city of about 17,000 people about 25 miles west of Detroit. The person who was shot in the leg was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the chief said. Nobody else besides the gunman was hurt.

Strong said a church member ran the suspect over with his pickup truck, giving security staff time to shoot him.

“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.

About 150 people were inside the church at the time. The church’s website says it hosts a worship service on Sundays at 10:45 a.m.

Worshiper Wendy Bodin said that she heard a loud boom and that 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!’”

Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III said hours later that it was too early to know a motive. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino tweeted that bureau “leadership and support teams” were at the scene and helping with the investigation.

Messages left by the Associated Press on Sunday by voicemail and on a Facebook page for the church were not immediately returned.

Sancya and Ramer write for the Associated Press and reported from Wayne and Concord, N.Y., respectively. AP writer Todd Richmond in Madison, Wis., and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.