Bullet Misses Children by Inches Inside Church After Funeral Shooting

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A bullet tore through the wall of a church in Norfolk, Virginia during a funeral last weekend—passing just inches above children playing basketball inside. The shooting wasn’t random. It was a targeted attack on a funeral attendee, but the violence didn’t stop at the sidewalk. It entered sacred ground, with kindergartners directly under the bullet’s path.

The funeral was held for a Portsmouth resident, and according to law enforcement, several individuals from Portsmouth were in attendance. The victim was targeted while walking to his vehicle. Another individual arrived at the hospital later with life-threatening injuries. One round penetrated the wall of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s Hellenic Center, where a summer day camp was in progress.

By the grace of God, no one inside was physically hurt—but this incident exposed the kind of threat many churches ignore until it’s too late.

Why Funerals Can Be Dangerous

Let’s be clear: we don’t know yet whether this funeral was gang-related, and I’m not going to assume. But I’ve spent years as a SWAT sniper and gang sergeant. I’ve deployed to overwatch funerals of known gang members. Why? Because when someone with criminal ties dies, their associates show up. And so do their rivals—who now know the exact date, time, and place to strike.

Churches that host funerals or are located near funeral homes need to understand: you don’t have to be the target to get caught in the crossfire.

Violence at funerals isn’t rare. It’s predictable—especially when no one takes security seriously.

How Churches Can Protect Themselves

Here are direct, actionable steps your church should consider:

🔹 Coordinate with Law Enforcement

If your church is hosting a funeral—or even if one is happening next door—and you’re aware the deceased had criminal or gang involvement, contact law enforcement. Ask for a patrol presence during and after the event. If they can’t provide one, assign trained safety team members to overwatch.

🔹 Don’t Ignore the Outside Threat

Safety ministries need to stay outside when the threat is outside. If gunfire erupts down the street, your job is to keep it from coming through the doors. That starts with trained personnel at the perimeter who know how to respond without freezing or overreacting.

🔹 Secure Children’s Areas

Children’s classrooms should be away from exterior walls whenever possible. Consider installing ballistic barriers or shatter-resistant film in those areas. Train your children’s ministry staff on where to shelter in place and how to respond if shots are fired nearby.

🔹 Train—Don’t Just Organize

Having a safety ministry is meaningless if you’re not training regularly. I recommend at least four hours a month. That’s not just range time—it’s time spent on de-escalation, trauma care, use of force, and communication.

You can find a full training matrix on my website if you don’t know where to start.

🔹 Equip Your Church Properly

At a bare minimum, every church should have a burglar alarm, a fire alarm, and a 4K video system. The video system isn't just for liability—it’s a tool law enforcement can use to identify suspects after a crime. I’ve personally identified suspects on surveillance many times using church footage.

🔹 Use a Quick Notification System

Whether it's radios, Tango Tango, or a mass text system, you need to alert your team immediately when something happens. Tools like Tango Tango even allow GPS location sharing—so if someone yells “shots fired” on the radio but can’t get their location out, the rest of the team can still respond.

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A Biblical Mission to Protect

📖 Nehemiah 4:13–14

“Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places… Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families.”

Nehemiah didn’t say “pray and hope for the best.” He stationed armed defenders at weak points because God’s work had enemies. The church today may not be under siege by foreign armies, but we are exposed to the violence of a fallen world. It is not unbiblical to post watchmen—it is obedience.

📖 Psalm 82:4

“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Those children weren’t just lucky. God protected them—but next time, we may be the ones God expects to act. If you’re part of a church, you have a responsibility to stand in the gap—not out of fear, but out of faithfulness.

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Final Thoughts

Pray for the people who experienced this shooting. Pray that the suspects repent. And most importantly, prepare.

Criminals do come to church—and we want them to. But that doesn’t mean we abandon our duty to protect the innocent while they worship.

You’ve got a responsibility. Now act on it.

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