On 10/11/19, Boone County (Missouri) officers attempted to stop a man for traffic violations, but he ran. As officers pursued, he ditched his vehicle in a church parking lot and disappeared into the nearby woods.
The same day, a Police Officer in Kansas City chased a fugitive on foot through church grounds, got him on the ground behind the church and wrestled a gun from him.
There was nothing unusual about October 11th. As much news as I examine on church crime, suspects running to or through a church or the grounds is common. While these two didn’t end deadly, many desperate and deadly last stands are at a church.
We may never know what happened on 11/05/2017 (the same day as the Sutherland Springs Texas church attack) in Rockford, IL. What we do know is Police officer Jamie Cox was killed by fatal blunt force trauma on the property of the Unitarian Church. An offender he had stopped nearby was dead there too, with gunshot wounds from officer Cox.
On 10/19/17, in Kings Mountain, NC, a man fleeing police ran onto Destiny Church of Kings Mountain property. He shot at the pursuing officers, who killed him there.
On 8/10/17 in Dyer, IN, a man fleeing police ended up in the parking lot of a church where he was killed by police.
On 4/19/17 in Bellefonte, DE, a man wanted for attempted murder ran from police and hid beside St. Helena’s Church. He was killed when he raised his gun at the police.
On 1/14/17 in Austin, TX, police responded as a despondent drunk fired his rifle into the air. He forced them to shoot and kill him at Hope Presbyterian Church.
On 1/2/17 in New Haven, CT police pursued a stolen SUV in a high-speed chase that ended when the driver crashed into a Synagogue, killing himself and his male passenger.
Think About it
Between 1/1/99 and 12/31/17, I catalogued 813 violent deaths at faith-based properties. 617 were homicide victims and 130 were suicides. Many have asked what the other 66 violent deaths were.
You’ve just read some from only one year (2017).
A police officer in a chase, might consider which church the rabbit might run to.
If you serve on a church team and hear sirens approaching? Heads up.
This observation was the biggest surprise to me in the Deadly Force study. I would have never predicted it.
Yes, sometimes the intrique of the siren might draw us ( a safety team) outside to see or hear from which direction that noise is coming from and right into a fight for our lives. Be careful out there.