Shots Fired Into Winston Salem Church, Security Officer Injured
What Is Known, What Is Not, and How Churches Should Respond
In the early morning hours of January 1, a round was fired into Mount Sinai Full Gospel Deliverance Center in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The bullet penetrated the church’s front doors and grazed an off duty law enforcement officer who was working security at the time. The officer’s injury was minor and treated at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. As of this writing, no suspect has been identified and no motive has been released.
This was not an active shooter inside a worship service. A round entered the building and injured someone inside. That alone should concern church leaders.
What we know
Based on publicly available reporting:
A single round penetrated the front doors of the church.
The incident occurred around 12:22 a.m. on January 1.
An off duty deputy working security was grazed on the hand.
The injury was treated on scene.
No attempt to enter the building has been reported.
No exchange of gunfire occurred.
That is the extent of confirmed information.
What we do not know
There are several critical unknowns:
We do not know whether the round was intentionally aimed at the church.
We do not know if this was celebratory gunfire, a drive by, or something else.
We do not know the shooter’s location, distance, or direction of travel.
We do not know whether additional rounds were fired nearby.
Because of this, churches should avoid labeling the incident as an active shooter attack. They should also avoid minimizing it.
How churches should respond to gunfire from outside
When gunfire impacts a church from outside, response should be immediate and controlled.
Lock the building down
All exterior doors should be secured as quickly as possible. Entry points are the most likely place for escalation. Locking the building limits options for anyone outside who may attempt to come in.
Get people low and into cover
Congregants should be directed to get low to the ground. Most sanctuaries offer little true ballistic cover, but reducing exposure to doors, glass, and windows lowers risk. Church leaders should understand the difference between cover and concealment and use what is realistically available.
Security moves to entrances
Security teams should push to interior positions covering primary and secondary entrances. The goal is to stop whatever is happening outside from coming inside. Even if the incident turns out to be celebratory gunfire, the initial posture should assume a possible follow on threat.
Treat it as an active shooter until proven otherwise
Intent is unknown in the moment. Churches should operate under active shooter response principles until law enforcement confirms otherwise. That does not mean chasing sounds or going outside blindly. It means securing, positioning, communicating, and being prepared to stop a threat if it attempts entry.
Call 911 early
Church leadership or designated security should contact 911 immediately. Dispatch should be told that gunfire struck the church and that an injury occurred. Provide the location, approximate number of people inside, and what is known at the time. Stay on the line if possible.
Do not rush outside
Sending personnel outside too early increases risk. Exterior investigation should only occur if needed to prevent immediate entry or once law enforcement arrives or confirms a delayed response. The priority is protecting those inside the building.
Hold positions until law enforcement arrives
Even with a delayed response, holding secure interior positions is usually safer than moving into unknown conditions. This is especially true at night when visibility is poor and identification becomes difficult.
A biblical perspective worth considering
Nehemiah 4:9 states, “And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.”
Nehemiah did not know when or if an attack would come. He did not wait for certainty. He prayed and he posted guards, including at night.
Proverbs 27:12 says, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”
Prudence does not require panic. It requires recognizing risk and acting before intent is fully known.
Churches are called to shepherd people. That includes protecting them when danger appears without warning.
Keith God bless what you do love your videos. I don’t read very well so I get most of my stuff from the videos you put out, especially in the briefings you’re starting to do. And your training videos so don’t slow down on the videos or shorten them or quit doing them. That’s where I get my knowledge to be safe and be a blessing to my brothers and sisters. God bless you. May the Lord keep you safe and constantly protected.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. Ron from East County San Diego.
Hi Keith, I am an Active LEO here in Canada and I am also one of the Safety Team member in our Church and a Head Deacon. I am interested in training more with you guys so that I can also impart in my congregations. Can you please message me in my personal email? I have a lot of questions. Thank you and GOD bless us all that protect the church which is our duty to GOD. Stay safe to all.