Man Kills Himself at Church After Homicide: IRGC Stopped From Attacking Jews in the U.S.
Our weekly intel and crime newsletter for church security teams, church leaders and Christians that want to stay informed.
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TERRORISM/INTELLIGENCE
Explosive Device Detonates Outside Church Serving as Polling Place — Catasauqua, PA
On Tuesday, May 19, around 9:15 a.m., during the Pennsylvania primary election, an explosive device was thrown from a moving vehicle outside Salem United Church of Christ on the 600 block of Third Street and detonated about half a block away from the church entrance. No one was injured, and voters were redirected to a 4th Street entrance to continue casting ballots. State police arrested Matthew Pletz, 56, and Jack Pletz, 24, both of Catasauqua, who were riding in a green 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck at the time. Investigators recovered 17 additional homemade explosive devices and one plastic-encased destructive device from inside the truck. Both men face charges including unlawful possession and manufacture of weapons of mass destruction, risking catastrophe, and possession of an instrument of crime with intent.
🛡️ My thoughts: churches are often used as polling places. It is a great community service and allows the community to see what the church has to offer. However, it also brings the chance of political violence. Political violence is increasing in our country as we all well know. Whenever you host pulling station, I would brief your staff about maintaining situational awareness while voting is in progress and to lockdown the church if violence comes.
Iranian Proxy Commander Indicted in Plot to Attack U.S. Jewish Sites — United States
The U.S. Department of Justice indicted a high-ranking commander of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia for orchestrating a plot to attack Jewish community sites within the United States, with the indictment publicly reported the week of May 11, 2026. The operation was reportedly coordinated by the IRGC-Quds Force through encrypted communication channels, representing what U.S. officials describe as a significant expansion of Iranian proxy reach onto American soil. The specific Jewish sites targeted, the stage of attack planning, and the named commander have not been fully disclosed in public reporting. The indictment fits within a broader pattern of recent Iran-linked U.S.-targeting activity, including suspected Iranian cyber intrusions against automated fuel gauge systems at American gas stations during the same period. Federal authorities have signaled continued monitoring of Iranian proxy networks during the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.
🛡️ My thoughts: I'm writing an intelligence bulletin right now about this incident and how we need to pay more attention to Mexican drug cartels. This suspect thought he was talking to a drug cartel operative. There is a long history of Jihadies working with Mexican drug cartels to facilitate their violence. We also see Mexican drug cartels using tactics that these terrorist use against their own people. This also shows that the violence against synagogues in Europe will come here. They are trying. Our federal agents are doing a good job at keeping them at Bay.
ISCAP Kills 87 Christians Across Ituri and Beni — Democratic Republic of Congo
Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) killed 87 Christians across the Ituri and Beni regions of eastern DRC during operations reported through May 16, 2026, as claimed in Issue 547 of the group’s weekly publication Al-Naba. The campaign included village raids, arson, IEDs, and reported executions, with 12 Christian homes razed in the Beni area and additional villages burned. ISCAP fighters also enforced jizyah, a tax historically imposed on non-Muslim populations under militant rule. A Rwandan Army vehicle supporting Congolese stabilization operations was disabled by an IED near Makomia. An IS supporter amplified the attacks in online propaganda, framing the systematic killing and displacement of Congolese Christians as “the future of Christians everywhere.”
🛡️ My thoughts: we need to keep our brothers and sisters in Africa in our prayers. More Christians are martyred in Nigeria and the DRC than anywhere else in the world.
US-Nigerian Strike Kills IS Global Second-in-Command -Retaliation Against Christians Expected
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, a joint US-Nigerian precision air-land strike in Metele, Borno State, killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the Islamic State’s globally designated second-in-command, along with several lieutenants. Al-Minuki served as both ISWAP’s operational commander and head of IS’s General Directorate of Provinces for the Lake Chad division, coordinating activities across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. The operation ran from approximately 12:01 to 04:00 local time and represents the most significant IS leadership loss since the 2019 death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Security analysts have warned that ISWAP and affiliated cells may attempt retaliatory strikes against military formations, civilian communities, and soft targets in Borno, Yobe, and surrounding Lake Chad Basin states over the next two to four weeks. Christian villages and churches in northeast Nigeria have been recurring ISWAP targets, with documented village raids, home burnings, and executions of congregants in the months preceding the strike.
Tunisian National Arrested in Plot Targeting Louvre and Paris Jewish Community — Paris, France
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, French authorities arrested a 27-year-old Tunisian national in Paris on suspicion of planning a terror attack against the Louvre Museum and the city’s Jewish community. Examination of his devices revealed Louvre reconnaissance materials, notes on ricin production, explosives scouting, IS recruitment contacts, and encrypted communications with overseas extremist networks. Investigators determined the suspect had also sought to travel to Syria or Mozambique to join the Islamic State directly. He was formally charged on May 11 and remanded into custody pending further investigation. France’s national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office has documented three completed attacks and seven disrupted plots in France during 2025, with jihadist threat activity trending upward since 2024.
🛡️ My thoughts: Chemical biological weapon attack is being researched deeply by people that want to kill us. I've been seeing this come up more and more in the last two months. Combine that with the Chinese bio labs that were found in the United States, it shows a real threat to our population. I will be doing a series on gas masks on my other platform, Christian Warrior Prepper.
CNN Claims CIA Ground Branch Used Vehicle Bomb To Kill Sinaloa Cartel Operative Near Mexico City Airport
Francisco Beltrán “El Payín,” a mid-level Sinaloa Cartel operative, was killed on or around Tuesday, March 31, 2026, when his vehicle exploded near Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in the State of Mexico. A CNN report published in mid-May alleged the operation was facilitated by the CIA’s Ground Branch as part of a broader covert campaign against cartel personnel on Mexican soil. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly insisted on “cooperation without subordination” in joint security operations and has not confirmed any US lethal role in the killing. The CIA has not publicly acknowledged the report. Vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices have not historically been a common cartel-on-cartel tool inside Mexico, and analysts have flagged the method as a potential capability shift in transnational criminal violence.
🛡️ My thoughts: we are, indeed, killing cartel members at all levels. The cartels have said that they will bring the fight to the United States if they start killing cartel leaders. I want you to remember that and remember how often they work with Jihadies. We should be very concerned and we should be tracking what the cartels are doing. I will be writing an intelligence brief here shortly about that link and our need to start tracking them. They used to be that the cartels would never touch Christians or the church. However, as of late, they have been murdering Catholic priest in their country. I don't think they will leave us alone anymore.
Cartel Drone Bombings Displace 800 from Náhuatl Communities — Tula, Guerrero, Mexico
On Friday, May 15, 2026, fighters from Los Ardillos attacked multiple Náhuatl indigenous communities in Tula, Guerrero, using drone-fired explosives, killing three community police officers and displacing more than 800 residents including children and elderly. Homes were burned and livestock killed as entire villages emptied during the aerial bombardment. The assault is among the most extensive documented uses of weaponized drones by a Mexican cartel against civilian population centers. The same drone-and-explosive tactic has been used in conflict zones by Islamic State affiliates and other armed groups operating in the Middle East and Africa. Mexican government response has drawn criticism for downplaying the scale of cartel-driven civilian displacement across Guerrero, where indigenous communities and their churches sit inside contested cartel territory.
🛡️ My thoughts: I'm including this so that we can look at their TTP's (tactics techniques and protocols). We need to be watching what they are doing in case they decide to bring the fight to America (see my comments on the story above to completely understand where I am coming from).
VIOLENT CRIME
Suspected Domestic Violence Shooter Found Dead in Church Parking Lot — Shreveport / Bossier City, LA
On Thursday morning, May 21, Shreveport police responded to the 9900 block of Kingston Road just before 5 a.m. and found a woman shot in the back of the head; she was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. According to Shreveport Police, officers had been called to the same residence around 9 p.m. the night before on a domestic disturbance, but the victim was not present at the time and no physical confrontation had occurred. The suspected shooter fled in a white Nissan Altima after the morning shooting, and Bossier City police later located him sitting in the vehicle in a church parking lot across the Red River, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators are still working to determine why the victim returned to the home and what occurred during the overnight hours. The case is being investigated jointly by the Shreveport Police Department and Bossier City Police Department.
🛡️ My thoughts: Each week, someone fleeing something bad head to the local church. They could be running from the police, someone trying to kill them, or (like in this case) they committed a horrible crime and are seeking redemption or sanctuary. This means that whether there is a service ongoing or not, you must maintain situational awareness. You also need a 4k video system to monitor the property and create a record of any crime that happens at the church.
Mosque Attack Leaves Five Dead in San Diego — San Diego, CA
On Monday, May 18, two teenage gunmen, ages 17 and 18, opened fire inside the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three men before dying of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The three victims, identified by Muslim leaders at a Tuesday press conference, were shot while attempting to delay and distract the attackers. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the department is investigating the attack as a hate crime, and investigators recovered anti-Islam writings tied to the shooters. The New York Times reported that the mother of one of the suspects had warned police of missing guns from the home in the days before the attack. The attack marks only the fourth time someone has been killed at a mosque in the United States since 2000, according to data from the Violence Prevention Project.
🛡️ My thoughts: watch the debrief below for more information.
Man Assaults Staff, Bites Volunteer at Methodist Church Food Bank — Woodbridge, VA
On Wednesday, May 20, around 7:22 p.m., Prince William County police responded to Cokesbury Methodist Church at 14806 Blackburn Road in Woodbridge after a man walked into the church food bank and became aggressive with staff. James Alexander Polk, 37, of no fixed address, assaulted two male staff members and bit a third man while bystanders restrained him. The bitten staff member was transported to a hospital for treatment, and the other two victims reported minor injuries. Polk was arrested at the scene and charged with malicious wounding, two counts of simple assault, and disorderly conduct. He is being held without bond.
🛡️ My thoughts: When you deal with the homeless population, you are at greater risk of assaults and other crime. Besides maintaining situational awareness, I suggest taking our course on deescalation to help when problems arise.
Suspect Charged in St. Genevieve Catholic Church Shooting — Las Cruces, NM
Las Cruces police on Monday, May 18, charged Matthew Albian Alarcon, 40, in the May 4 shooting that damaged St. Genevieve Catholic Church on Espina Avenue. Surveillance video captured a black Chevrolet Malibu circling the church at 4:27 a.m. before a man exited and fired five rounds into the sanctuary entrance, penetrating the decorative glass panels of the front doors. Parishioners arriving for the recitation of the Holy Rosary discovered the bullet holes shortly after 6 a.m. that morning, and no one was injured. Police tracked the vehicle using license plate reader data and security camera footage, then recovered the firearm during a search tied to a separate criminal investigation. Alarcon was booked on charges including desecration of a church and is being held without bond.
SEX CRIMES
South Florida Baptist Pastor Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges — Miami, FL
Elie Dorcius, 62, a South Florida Baptist pastor, was arrested this week on charges of molestation and indecent exposure, CBS News Miami reported. Dorcius appeared before a judge on Wednesday, May 20, and was ordered held without bond. Investigators told reporters they believe there may be additional victims and are continuing to look into the case. CBS noted Dorcius leads a Baptist church in the Miami-Dade area where the alleged conduct came to light through a parishioner. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation.
🛡️ My thoughts: I hate saying this, but it's true. Your pastor is more likely to molest a child then for you to have an active shooter at your church. What are you doing to protect our children? Are you training to look for groomers? Are you checking on staff to make sure they're acting appropriately with children? What happens if you see your pastor with a child by himself and it looks like something might be happening? You need to start thinking about these things and how you will handle it and protect the children.
Matthew 18:6
But whoso shall cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to fall, it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Former LDS Bishop Charged with 18 Felony Counts of Child Sex Abuse — Livermore, CA
On Thursday, May 21, Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that Michael Delar Morris, 76, has been charged with and arraigned on 18 felony counts of non-forcible sexual assault and lewd acts with children involving four alleged victims. Prosecutors allege the abuse occurred between 1991 and 2001 while Morris served as a bishop at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Livermore and supervised a church-affiliated young men’s group. Investigators say Morris also served as a Boy Scout leader during that period, using both ministry positions to gain access to boys in the congregation. Morris has posted $920,000 bail. The District Attorney’s office said it remains committed to prosecuting historical sexual abuse cases wherever the law allows.
🛡️ My thoughts: This is the police department I worked at for 29 years. He committed those assaults while I was working there and I had friends in that LDS ward. I have no doubt I crossed paths with this guy at some point. People like him seek out positions of authority over children for the sole purpose of gaining unfettered access to victims. Know that groomers are trying to get a job at your church for the sole purpose of molesting your kids.
On a side note, I keep thinking of all the times I drove through that church parking lot on patrol and saw the scouts getting ready to go on trips. It makes me sad to know what had happened to some of them. I wish they had flagged me down and told me.
Romans 13:4
“For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.”
Retired Catholic Priest Charged with Sex Crimes — Westmoreland County, PA
Pennsylvania State Police on Friday, May 16, charged retired Catholic priest Robert Byrnes, 84, with aggravated indecent assault and related offenses out of Westmoreland County. Byrnes previously served as a chaplain for the Pennsylvania State Police. According to the criminal complaint, Byrnes urged the victim not to report the alleged abuse to police “for the sake of the reputation of the church,” and prosecutors say he also told other men not to report. The Diocese of Greensburg confirmed Byrnes has been removed from public ministry and has not been functioning in any church entity since the allegations surfaced. The case is being prosecuted by the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.
Fort Worth Megachurch Pastor Back in Custody — Fort Worth, TX
Alonzo Diego Fuller, 39, the founding pastor of Journey Fort Worth Church, has been back in custody since May 5 in connection with the same sexual assault case that led to his August 2025 arrest. Tarrant County records show Fuller is being held in connection with the original second-degree felony sexual assault charge brought by a former parishioner. Fuller was originally released on a $40,000 bond after his September 1, 2025 booking and has continued to lead the congregation despite the charge. The church still lists Fuller as its pastor and referred questions to defense attorney Bret Martin. Christian Post first reported the re-arrest on May 14.
🛡️ My thoughts: notice how there are more sexual assault stories than there is violent crime. I want you to remember that and think about how you are protecting our children.
Former Exodus International President Arrested in Child Solicitation Sting — Orange County, FL
On Tuesday morning, May 19, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested Alan Chambers, 54, an ordained minister and the former president of the now-defunct Exodus International, during a traffic stop in Winter Park. According to the arrest affidavit, Chambers exchanged sexually explicit Snapchat and Telegram messages from February 10 through May 4 with an undercover detective who identified himself as a 14-year-old boy, sent nude photos of himself, and repeatedly sought to meet up. The affidavit also alleges Chambers paid for sexual favors from male prostitutes during the same period. Chambers is charged with solicitation of a minor, transmission of harmful material to minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and was booked into the Orange County Jail without bond. If convicted on all counts, he faces more than 30 years in prison. Chambers led Exodus International — a Christian ministry that promoted conversion therapy — until shutting it down and publicly apologizing in 2013, and now serves as an executive at a Winter Park menswear company.
🛡️ My thoughts: Nothing surprises me anymore. Just know there are a string of victims this guy left behind that we have yet to find.
ARSON AND SUSPICIOUS FIRES
Woman Charged in Episcopal Church Arson — Ladue, MO
Janiya Van was charged Tuesday, May 19, with knowingly burning or exploding, a Class E felony, in connection with a May 8 fire inside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on North Warson Road. According to the probable cause statement, a person working in the church called police after smelling smoke from the rear chapel and finding multiple items still smoldering. The fire damaged a rug on the altar, the wood flooring, and several potted plants. Investigators recovered fingerprints from partially burned church pamphlets and reviewed interior surveillance footage to identify the suspect. Van was previously arrested at the same church on May 11 for trespassing.
🛡️ My thoughts: this is your weekly reminder that you need a burglar alarm, fire alarm, and a 4K video system. I WANT TO YELL AT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK ROW, THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE SECURITY OF YOUR CHURCH!
Two-Alarm Fire Destroys Historic Mother African Union Church — Wilmington, DE
A two-alarm fire destroyed the Mother African Union Church on the 800 block of North Franklin Street early Sunday morning, May 17, around 3 a.m. More than 100 firefighters responded, but the structure was already fully engulfed on arrival, and crews fought the fire defensively from outside as flames shot 20 to 30 feet into the air. Two firefighters from the Elsmere Fire Company sustained minor injuries when a large tree limb fell on them while protecting nearby homes. The church, founded in 1813, is one of the oldest African American congregations in the United States and is tied to the Underground Railroad and the August Quarterly festival. Wilmington Fire Chief John Looney said investigators are working alongside the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office and the cause remains under investigation.
VEHICLE COLLISIONS
Two-Car Crash Sends Vehicle Through Church Lobby — North Lindenhurst, NY
A woman was injured Wednesday, May 20, when a two-car crash sent her vehicle through the lobby of a church in North Lindenhurst. News 12 Long Island reported the collision happened at an intersection adjacent to the church and that the impact pushed one of the vehicles into the building. The woman was transported for treatment of her injuries, and no one inside the church was reported hurt. Building inspectors were called to assess structural damage at the entry. The cause of the underlying crash is under investigation.
🛡️ My thoughts: this could've easily been a mass casualty incident if this happened while church was in service. What are you doing to keep vehicles out of your building? You need to have bollards placed in critical areas to protect the body of Christ.
INTERNATIONAL
ISCAP Burns Three Churches, Kills 13 Christians in Cabo Delgado — Northern Mozambique
Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) killed 13 Christians, wounded several others, burned three churches, and destroyed 233 homes across Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province during the week ending May 16, 2026, as claimed in Al-Naba Issue 547. Fighters used small-arms assaults, arson, and improvised explosive devices in coordinated village strikes. A separate IED disabled a Rwandan Army vehicle deployed to the province as part of ongoing counterinsurgency operations. ISCAP has maintained continuous attack tempo in Cabo Delgado throughout 2026, with Christian villages and churches remaining recurring targets. The pattern mirrors ISCAP operations across the border in eastern DRC, where Christian communities are being systematically displaced.
🛡️ My thoughts: Mozambique is becoming quite a hotspot. I've noticed terrorist activity increasing in that nation. I know that is also a popular place for missionaries to go to. If you support missionaries in that country, just make sure that they are watching out for their safety.
Thanks for the great write up, Keith. Very much appreciated. God bless, brother! ;)