LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Churches have been the target of active shooters before, and Sunday’s incident was just a reminder of how vulnerable places of worship are if they are unprepared.
Police say 68-year-old Las Vegas resident David Choi opened fire on Taiwanese worshipers over the weekend, but one attendee, who died trying to tackle Chou, along with others , is called a hero.
Jeff Hallock is the undersheriff for Orange County in California and described the bravery many participants displayed over the weekend.
“This group of worshipers displayed what we believe to be exceptional heroism and bravery,” Hallock said.
This heroism and bravery is what Pastor John Bain of the First Christian Church wants to uphold among his parishioners.
“If we end up in a situation, I see almost everything, it will be handled there, but grab something and start heading for the exits,” Pastor Bain said.
Pastor Bain said his church still has armed guards near exits and every member has an exit plan, but now that in-person service is in full swing, he will review his safety plan with the congregation.
“We know we are easy targets and anyone with anger or hatred in their heart will come to a soft target before they become a hard target,” Pastor Bain said.
In his safety plan, Pastor Bain advises his parishioners to use anything they can to get at the shooter, whether that’s throwing a bible at them or using a pencil to stop them.
“Everyone has to be mindful of their surroundings, whoever comes in, that’s a hard thing to ask because we welcome everyone,” he said.
During larger services like Christmas Eve or Easter, these armed guards also roam around the church property to watch for anything suspicious.
For the safety of his church, we have chosen not to release too many details about their exit strategy, but Pastor Bain said he hopes the tragedy in California will remind us to always remain vigilant.
Comments are closed.