Church Active Shooter Thwarted- Second in 2 Weeks

Armed man enters Florida church during service—staff and deputies stop potential active shooter. Second church threat in two weeks.

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A potential mass shooting at Manantial de Vida Church in Naples, Florida was averted on Sunday thanks to quick-thinking church staff and a fast, decisive response from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. While the situation ended peacefully, it’s a good reminder of how close evil can come and why churches must be both spiritually and tactically prepared.

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The Incident

At approximately 12:30 PM, a man later identified as 23-year-old Angel Antonio Arreguin entered the church lobby during the final moments of Sunday service. Two church employees encountered him and immediately noticed disturbing behavior. Arreguin claimed to be a “trained killer,” asked how much money it would take to stop a mass shooting, and appeared to have a handgun in his waistband.

Rather than panic, church staff acted with calm under pressure. One staff member attempted to de-escalate while another discreetly moved children to safety. Law enforcement was contacted immediately. Deputies responded rapidly, confronted Arreguin, and safely disarmed him. He was found with a loaded handgun, a round in the chamber, and three fully loaded magazines containing 60 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Most of the congregation never knew how close they came to disaster. The pastoral staff ended the service early and quietly directed members out through side exits. Arreguin was arrested and charged with two felony counts of threat to discharge a destructive device and disorderly conduct. He was also placed under the Baker Act and banned from returning to the church.

Commendable Actions—and What Could Have Gone Differently

The staff at Manantial de Vida Church handled this situation better than most would have under stress. They kept calm, protected the children, alerted law enforcement without escalating the suspect’s behavior, and cleared the building quickly. For that, they deserve recognition.

But this incident also raises questions for other churches:
What if deputies hadn’t arrived in time? What if the suspect had pulled his weapon during the conversation? Would your team be ready to act decisively in that moment?

If it were me, the moment I identified that he had a firearm and was making threats of mass violence, I would have moved to disarm and detain him immediately. That isn’t bravado, it’s what a trained safety team is for. The window between a warning and an ambush can be measured in seconds.

This is where training makes the difference. Without it, hesitation costs lives. With it, you’re equipped to defend the flock, just like Nehemiah—who set a guard “day and night” as the people worked to rebuild the wall (Nehemiah 4:9).

Lessons for Church Safety Teams

Every church should take three things away from this:

1. Have a visible safety team trained in recognizing and responding to potential threats.

2. Develop a quiet evacuation plan that can be executed mid-service without causing panic.

3. Train your team to act decisively when a weapon is seen or threats are made. Waiting on law enforcement is ideal—but not always an option.

Biblical Lens

The Bible never calls Christians to be victims. It calls us to watch, be ready, and stand firm (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:13). Spiritual vigilance and physical readiness are not opposites—they are two sides of the same coin. As Jesus said in Luke 22:36, "Let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one."

This incident reminds us that we live in a fallen world. Churches are targets. But so long as God gives us breath, we have a duty to protect His people, preserve peace, and be found faithful.