Our Weekly Crime Newscast: Gang Used Church for Headquarters: Multiple Shootings at Churches
A look at the week's most important crime, terrorism, and church security stories, along with the practical lessons every Christian should know.
🛡️ Paid Subscribers: This Week’s Field Guide
All safety info here is always free. Paid subscribers fund CWT and get a little extra — this week, a printable Everyday Situational Awareness guide tied to the High Point parking-lot stop below. You can download it at the bottom of this newsletter.
INTELLIGENCE/TERRORISM
Heavily Armed Trans Suspect With History of Mass Shooting Threats Arrested at Casino, No Target Identified — Henderson, Nevada
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, the former spouse of a 36-year-old Henderson, Nevada man called police to report that he had stolen her car, that the vehicle contained numerous firearms, and that he intended to commit suicide by cop or carry out a mass shooting. The suspect is transgender, assigned male at birth, and goes by the name Allison Howlett; jail records list Howlett as male. The former spouse tracked the stolen car by phone to a parking garage at the Sunset Station hotel and casino, where officers pulled Howlett from the vehicle and found he had been sitting on a handgun with a suppressed fully automatic MP5-style machine gun in the back seat. Police recovered 22 firearms from the vehicle and roughly 30 more from his residence, about 55 in total, including automatic weapons, suppressors, grenade launcher attachments, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. At a Tuesday briefing, police played a 2024 recorded call in which Howlett threatened a mass shooting if the FBI did not come arrest him, and he was arraigned Wednesday on 35 felony counts, including making terroristic threats, assault constituting domestic violence with a deadly weapon, 21 counts of firearm larceny, and eight counts of machine gun or silencer possession, with bail set at $500,000 and a preliminary hearing set for July 15. Police say the motive remains under investigation and have not publicly identified an intended target; the interdiction came from a family member reporting concrete pre-attack indicators to police.
🛡️ My thoughts: although there was no location listed for the potential attack, churches have been a target from Trans persons including Covenant School and Abundant Life Christian School. I have taken heat for commenting about a connection between trans persons and mass shootings. But I stand by my comments and you should use it as part of any threat assessment for your church. We want them to come to Christ and we want to help them repent. But you should always have a plan.
Russia Disrupts Planned Arson Attack Against Synagogue — Yaroslavl, Russia
On June 29, Russia’s Federal Security Service announced it prevented an arson attack against a synagogue in Yaroslavl and arrested a Russian citizen accused of membership in an international terrorist organization. The suspect acted on instructions from a Syria-based handler, purchased components and chemicals to produce an incendiary mixture, and planned to attack the Jewish religious institution with a homemade incendiary device. He conducted reconnaissance of the site and photographed the target, and a search of his home found incendiary devices ready for use along with communications equipment and instructions from his handler. The suspect planned to travel to Syria to join the terrorist organization after carrying out the attack. Counterterrorism analysts note that terrorist arson is a low-cost tactic using easily acquired materials, and that pre-attack indicators include reconnaissance of the target, research on ignition sources, selecting targets to maximize fire spread, setting multiple fires to defeat the response, and impersonating public safety personnel to access a scene.
Source: NCTC Counterterrorism Digest, 25 June to 1 July 2026
🛡️ My thoughts: ISIS and Al Qaeda have been pushing Lonewolf actors to use fire and vehicle ramming As a tactic in their attacks against Jews and Christians. People are listening and they're realizing how easy it is in the barrier to entry is minimal.
Australian Intelligence Details Iranian-Directed Attacks on Jewish Worship Sites — Canberra, Australia
On June 24, the Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation provided an update on the Iranian terror threat in Australia, detailing IRGC operations targeting Australian interests and critical infrastructure. He described a case in which the IRGC colluded with two individuals to orchestrate attacks on Jewish buildings in Australia: an Iran-based IRGC-Quds Force senior agent orchestrated the October 2024 attack on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Bondi, New South Wales, and a former Australian resident living in Iraq directed the December 2024 attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. He also described an Iran-aligned group that orchestrated a wave of attacks across Europe in early 2026 targeting Jewish interests using arson and rudimentary incendiary devices. The Director-General stated that ISIS and al-Qa’ida continue to improve their ability to conduct and inspire attacks and continue to view Western interests as legitimate targets. Australia’s terrorism threat level remains at Probable, and Australian law enforcement has disrupted 31 major terrorism plots since 2014.
Source: NCTC Counterterrorism Digest, 25 June to 1 July 2026
🛡️ My thoughts: This is CHRISTIAN Warrior Training, but we are still going to help the Jews. Many synagogues get their intelligence in training from us. Many Christians have been taking an anti-juice stance lately due to certain podcasters pushing that narrative. You should ignore them and listen to the Bible instead. Remember what the Apostle Paul said, “...remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.” Romans 11:18 (ESV). There are other verses, but let us leave it at that. Also remember that at some point, according to the book of revelation, that they will be coming after Christians. Don't be paranoid, just be ready and study these attacks and think about your own church and how you can better protect it based on this knowledge.
ISIS Media Continues Targeting the FIFA World Cup — Continuing Coverage
We covered ISIS calls to attack the FIFA World Cup in a prior edition, and the messaging has not let up. Pro-ISIS Al-Battar Media released a new poster titled “And Kill Them Wherever You Find Them” depicting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, derived from the group’s weekly Al-Naba’ newsletter issue 552, and ISIS has since published issue 553. The poster is an open call for lone attackers to act against World Cup events on their own initiative. The tournament final is scheduled for July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the same threat window includes the July 4 Independence Day celebrations in Washington, D.C., and the SAIL 250 tall ships events in New York from July 3 to 8 and Boston from July 11 to 16. Churches near host cities and watch party venues should hold their current posture through the end of the tournament.
Source: NCTC Counterterrorism Digest, 25 June to 1 July 2026
VIOLENT CRIME
Armed Man With Flamethrowers and Target Notebook Stopped at Church — High Point, North Carolina
On Sunday morning, June 28, a 911 caller reported an armed man in camouflage sitting in a truck in the parking lot of Wesley Memorial Methodist Church in High Point, North Carolina, during services. An off-duty High Point police officer working security at the church responded immediately, and arriving officers disarmed William S. Milliken III, 44, of Thomasville, who was wearing a plate carrier and had presented himself as a law enforcement officer there to enforce a smoking violation. A search of his truck turned up two flamethrowers, two crossbows, a CO2-powered launcher built to resemble a handgun, three knives, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, duct tape, and oxycodone pills. Court documents state officers also found a notebook containing addresses of churches, schools, and public buildings, along with police scanner radios, handcuff keys, and an enlarged map of the state. Milliken is charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, impersonating a law enforcement officer, and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, and was denied bond at his June 29 first appearance.
🛡️ My thoughts: See the video below for my thoughts.
Catholic Pastor Stabbed by Restaurant Server Who Knew Him From Church — Austin, Texas
On Saturday night, June 27, Rev. Jairo Sandoval-Pliego, pastor of San Jose Catholic Church in south Austin, was stabbed multiple times while dining with parishioners at Bob’s Steak and Chop House in downtown Austin, Texas. Police say the server, 45-year-old Edward Koubek, recognized the pastor from church when he arrived, then approached the table at the end of the meal in what witnesses thought was a goodbye hug before repeatedly stabbing him in the neck, back, and shoulder with a kitchen knife. Koubek told investigators he had attended the church since 2018, believed the pastor would snicker at him after confession, paced for 10 to 15 minutes before the attack, and intended in the moment to kill him. Witnesses restrained Koubek until he fled to the rear of the restaurant, where officers detained him. Hospital staff said the pastor suffered four to six stab wounds and could have died without medical intervention; Koubek is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.
🛡️ My thoughts: See the video below for my thoughts.
Man Shot and Killed at Bethel Baptist Church, Suspect Arrested at Scene — McCaysville, Georgia
In the early morning hours of Thursday, June 25, Fannin County 911 received a call reporting a shooting at Bethel Baptist Church in McCaysville, Georgia. Deputies arrived to find Austin Teems, 29, of Blue Ridge, with apparent gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Nicholas Rogers, also 29 and also of Blue Ridge, was taken into custody at the church and has been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. The GBI is assisting the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, and investigators have not released a motive, the relationship between the two men, or why they were at the church at that hour. Teems was a husband and father of two young boys, according to a family fundraiser.
🛡️ My thoughts: when people are fleeing danger, they often flee to a church. Although these incidents usually don't involve the church, specifically, the church is involved because that's where bad people are gonna go to find refuge. Whether it's running from the police or hoping that God is going to save them at the church, it is almost ingrained in our psyche to go to the church for Safety. You need to remember these incidents and think about your situational awareness during off hours at church. Most attacks happen outside of worship time and they happen in the parking lot. Week after week you see examples of this that prove our point. Just have good situational awareness and a good plan.
Two Shot at Church During Youth Violence Prevention Orientation — Washington, D.C.
On Monday afternoon, June 29, two men were shot at Peace Baptist Church in the 700 block of 18th Street Northeast in Washington, D.C., while the church hosted the first day of a youth orientation for the TRIGGER Project, a gun violence prevention program running since 2019. Metropolitan Police officers nearby heard the gunfire around 4:05 p.m. and were directed to the church, where they found two adult males with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds; both are expected to recover. Police say a group had gathered in a small fenced utility area at the rear of the church building when at least one person fired into the group before fleeing. While detectives interviewed witnesses inside the church, officers noticed a 16-year-old boy carrying two backpacks and found two firearms inside them. The teen was charged with two counts of carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and his involvement in the shooting itself remains under investigation.
🛡️ My thoughts: if you are holding an event where criminals or gang members are coming to your church, you need to have church security on scene. Every other criminal and gang member knows that those people are gonna be there a specific date and time. So if they wanna target a specific individual, they know when and where to go. People to church usually let their guard down because they are at church. That is perfect timing for an assailant. Again, here is another example of how important situational awareness is while you're working at church.
SWAT Raids Church Property Used as Gang Headquarters, 50+ Arrest Warrants — Holly Hill, Florida
Early Tuesday morning, June 30, a multi-agency task force executed Operation Holy Rollers, raiding a home on the property of Greater Harvest Ministries in Holly Hill, Florida, that investigators say served as the headquarters of a gang called the Cut Throat Killers. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said a year-long investigation using surveillance and a federal wiretap showed the group storing drugs and firearms at the church-owned house, which sits about 25 feet from the church and was occupied by the pastor’s son. Authorities linked the gang to multiple shootings and at least four fentanyl overdose deaths across the county, including a recent shooting at a Buc-ee’s, and say the group trafficked fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The operation included 10 search warrants and more than 50 arrest warrants across Holly Hill, Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach, with 45 people arrested in the first days, among them the pastor’s son, Ermando Lewis, and her 17-year-old grandson. Pastor Terry Brown told reporters she was unaware of criminal activity at the property, and Chitwood said there is no proof she was involved in the gang’s operations.
🛡️ My thoughts: the message here is simple: please don't let your church be used as a gang hangout. Jesus needs to come down into that church and start flipping tables.
John 2:15–17 (KJV)
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Homeless Man Stabbed and Robbed on Church Porch, Two Charged — Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Just after midnight on Friday, June 26, a 49-year-old homeless man beaten and stabbed during an apparent robbery made his way to the Salvation Army on East 7th Street in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and banged on the door for help. Investigators determined the attack occurred on the porch of Grace Episcopal Church on East 6th Street, where officers found the original crime scene along with blood trails, a large hunting-style knife with blood residue, and a bloodied alcohol bottle nearby. The victim suffered large wounds to the stomach and head injuries and was flown to a Nashville-area hospital, where he underwent surgery and is recovering. Officers located two men walking away from the scene, 34-year-old Keshane Redmon and 47-year-old Ronnie Stevenson, with Redmon showing an apparent wound to his hand. Both were charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery.
Pastor Accused of Stabbing Girlfriend’s Ex, Then Hiding From Police Inside His Church — St. Paul, Minnesota
Around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, St. Paul police responded to a home in the 1100 block of Marion Street and found a 39-year-old man bleeding heavily from a deep abdominal wound that exposed internal tissue; he was rushed to Regions Hospital and taken directly into surgery. According to the criminal complaint, the man had come to collect tools he stored in the home’s garage and to ask for receipts, believing some had been pawned, when the confrontation with Terrence Philip Walker Sr., 61, of Prior Lake, turned violent on the front steps. A witness heard a slashing sound and saw Walker lunge repeatedly at the bleeding man while the victim’s mother tried to intervene; Walker told police the man punched him first and that he pulled a knife in self-defense. Walker, a pastor at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in St. Paul, fled before officers arrived, and police tracked him to the nearby church, where he was arrested. He is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and is due back in Ramsey County District Court on July 23.
🛡️ My thoughts: Sometimes the hardest part of church security is remembering that the threat does not always walk in through the front door. We spend a lot of time looking for strangers while assuming everyone already inside the church is above suspicion. If these allegations are true, a pastor allegedly stabbed a man, fled the scene, and hid inside his own church. Position does not replace character, and a title does not place anyone above accountability.
Man Walks Into Church, Admits Killing His Daughter, Then Leaves — Fairmont, West Virginia
On Sunday, June 28, an unidentified man walked into Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont, West Virginia, stated that he had shot and killed his daughter, and then left the church. Fairmont police were called, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department responded to conduct a welfare check at a residence on Stony Lonesome Road in Monongah, with West Virginia State Police units also requested as part of the call. Marion County 911 confirmed the sequence of events, and authorities are treating the case as a possible homicide investigation. No arrest, victim identification, or further details had been released as of early this week.
🛡️ My thoughts: This type of event, where someone admits to committing a murder or comes to a church after committing one, happens a couple of times each year. Again, situational awareness is key, along with thinking through these situations before they happen. What will you do if someone comes into your church and confesses to a serious violent crime? Always have a plan, and always practice tactical visualization. Tactical visualization is simply thinking through incidents like this ahead of time and considering how you would respond. I spent decades using tactical visualization, and it helped me act quickly in dangerous situations that I had never encountered before.
SEX CRIMES
Pastor Arrested on Sexual Battery and Molestation Charges Involving Two Teens — Jacksonville, Florida
Anthony Doyle, 65, listed in the arrest report as a pastor at Friendship Primitive Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested June 22 on charges of sexual battery and lewd molestation involving two juvenile victims. In the current case, a juvenile victim told detectives that Doyle groomed him by giving him about twenty dollars after every church service and telling him he was his favorite, then escalated to inviting him alone to his office or the church dining hall, with the final incident involving contact under the victim’s clothing. That investigation prompted detectives to reopen a 2022 sexual battery case in which Doyle, then working as a school security guard and leading an afterschool mentorship program, allegedly used the program to build a relationship with a male high school student before luring him to a residence, sexually battering him, threatening to kill him if he told anyone, and giving him $150. Doyle faces one first-degree felony count of sexual battery by a custodian and one second-degree felony count of lewd and lascivious molestation. He denied wrongdoing in the 2022 case and characterized the recent contact as loving and nonsexual.
🛡️ My thoughts: we talked about how to spot groomers last week. We had a special focus on that along with a handout and a video to help train you on how to spot groomers like this Pastor. I suggest you go back to last weeks weekly news bulletin, and watch that if you missed it.
Former Church Employee Indicted on 18 Felony Counts Including Child Sexual Assault and Trafficking — Clute, Texas
Adrian Gerard Johnson, 25, of Angleton, Texas, was arrested Monday, June 22, after a Brazoria County grand jury indicted him June 18 on 18 felony counts involving three child victims, two of them younger than 14. The charges include four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, four counts of sexual assault of a child, four counts of sexual performance by a child, two counts of human trafficking, one count of compelling prostitution, one count of indecency with a child by exposure, and one count of sexual assault prohibited under the Texas bigamy statute. Lake Jackson police confirmed Johnson was employed at Destiny Church in Clute at the time of the alleged offenses, which court records place between 2015 and 2020, though the department would not confirm whether the offenses were directly connected to his position; local reporting has described him as a former pastor at the church. The arrest followed a three-month inter-agency investigation sparked by a complaint filed with the police department. Johnson is held at the Brazoria County Jail without bond.
Former Church Volunteer Arrested in Predator Sting Targeting 7-Year-Old — Jacksonville, Florida
John Goodman, a former volunteer at Oceanway Church in Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested in a Marion County undercover sting after deputies say he tried to arrange a sexual encounter with a 7-year-old girl. Investigators say Goodman was messaging with a man he believed was offering access to his young daughter; that man was an undercover officer, and Goodman was arrested when he showed up at the meeting location. Former youth pastors at Oceanway recognized Goodman from the sheriff’s office arrest video and identified him as a member of the worship team during their time at the church. Through an attorney, the church said Goodman volunteered only in the adult music program, held no staff or leadership position, and did not serve in children’s or youth ministries. The church also confirmed that concerns involving the family were raised several years ago over alleged conduct away from the church, that the matter was reported to the Florida Department of Children and Families, and that the family was removed from serving and eventually asked to leave.
ARSON AND SUSPICIOUS FIRES
Fire That Destroyed Historic St. Paul CME Church Declared a Crime — Crawford, Alabama
The Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating as a crime the fire that destroyed St. Paul CME Church on Bleecker Road in Crawford, Alabama. The fire was reported around 5 a.m. on Monday, June 22, and firefighters from at least seven departments arrived to find the church fully engulfed, with the fellowship hall roof already collapsed and flames spreading into the sanctuary. The blaze destroyed both the historic sanctuary and the congregation’s relatively new fellowship hall; no one was injured. The congregation held a prayer vigil at the site and is temporarily sharing worship space with Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in neighboring Lee County. No suspect or cause has been publicly identified.
🛡️ My thoughts: This is your weekly reminder that you need a burglar alarm, a fire alarm and a 4k video system.
Woman Charged With Arson After Fire Set Outside Church — Somerset, Texas
Alexandra Paulina Arizola, 32, has been charged with arson after a fire outside a church in Somerset, Texas, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Somerset police say surveillance video showed a woman later identified as Arizola trespassing on church property and scattering donated items before the fire. The affidavit ties her to the fire through the surveillance footage. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.
INTERNATIONAL
Pastor Among 28 Christians Killed in Overnight Village Massacre — Bokkos County, Nigeria
Armed Fulani militants attacked the predominantly Christian village of Kawel in Bokkos County, Plateau State, Nigeria, beginning around 2 a.m. on Monday, June 22, killing residents in their homes over roughly two hours. Rev. Markus Nyam, pastor of the Church of Christ in Nations congregation in Kawel, was shot dead outside a church building, and members of his congregation were among the dead; reported death tolls range from 20 to 28, including a pregnant woman and medical staff from a local clinic. Survivors said phone and telecom service had been cut before the attack, and one witness reported hearing the attackers call out the names of specific Christian leaders and direct others to hunt them down in their homes, an indication local informants guided the strike. Residents said police did not arrive until after daylight despite the attack beginning at 2 a.m. Open Doors reports 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith between October 2024 and September 2025 were Nigerian.
Gunmen Abduct Pastor and Two Congregants From Church Residence — Benue State, Nigeria
In the early hours of Tuesday, June 30, armed men stormed the residence of Rev. Dr. Samuel Gbinde at NKST Church in Andyar, Ishan Classis, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria, and abducted the pastor along with two members of his congregation. A local source said the gunmen arrived late at night, broke into the home, and fired sporadically to scare off residents before taking the three victims to an unknown location. The Universal Reformed Christian Church, known as NKST, confirmed the abduction in a statement and called on security agencies and the Benue State and federal governments to act swiftly to rescue the victims. The community sits near Logo Local Government Area, an area known for banditry and armed herdsmen attacks. The abduction follows a series of kidnappings and violent attacks across Benue despite ongoing security operations.
Roughly 50 Students Abducted From School in Christian Area of Southern Borno — Lassa, Nigeria
On Monday, June 29, gunmen attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria, abducting an estimated 50 students who were sitting for examinations, killing at least one teacher, and seriously wounding another. Bishop John Bogna Bakeni, Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, said the exact number of abducted remains uncertain due to conflicting reports from the area. A rapid response by the military and local vigilantes rescued about 10 people, including eight students, though one soldier and one vigilante were killed in the rescue effort. Bishop Bakeni said families in the area are still awaiting the release of children abducted from the nearby community of Musa about two months earlier. Lassa sits in southern Borno, a predominantly Christian region that has endured repeated attacks by armed groups.
Police Raid House Church Service, Detain 33 Including Children — Jiangyou, China
On Sunday, June 14, roughly 60 to 70 Chinese government personnel, including SWAT officers, Domestic Security Protection Unit officers, and religious affairs officials, raided a worship service of Early Rain Covenant Church held in a hotel conference room in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province. Authorities detained 33 believers, including church leaders and children, transporting them by bus to a Jiangyou public security case-handling center where they were held about 12 hours for interrogation; three members were reportedly injured in the raid. Most detainees were released late that night, but elders Wu Wuqing and Yan Hong were sentenced to 14 and 15 days of administrative detention, and ChinaAid reports authorities have continued summoning members for repeat questioning since the raid. Early Rain is one of China’s best-known Protestant house churches and has faced sustained pressure since the December 2018 crackdown that led to founding pastor Wang Yi’s nine-year prison sentence. Advocates describe the raid as the latest escalation in a nationwide campaign against unregistered congregations.
