Page 3 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

Attempted mass shooting at

CrossPointe Community Church

By Sarah Shurge
On Sunday, June 22nd, members
of CrossPointe Community Church
experienced a life-changing event.
Approximately 150 congregants,
including many children, attended a
special Vacation Bible School service
inside the church, unaware of the
events that were about to transpire
in the parking lot.
Witnesses stated that the suspect,
later identified as 31-year-old Brian
Browning of Romulus, MI, graduated
in 2012 as Valedictorian from Wayne
Memorial High School, was driving a
silver SUV erratically in the parking
lot before parking the vehicle on the
west side of the building.
Browning was in camouflage and
a tactical vest, retrieving weapons
from his vehicle.
Browning was armed with: an AR-
15 style rifle, a semi-automatic hand-
gun with an extended magazine, Community members stand alongside CrossPointe congregants as they fill the church on Sunday, June 29, 2025, for the first
hundreds of rounds of ammunition, service since the attempted mass shooting—demonstrating unity, strength, and resilience.
and more than a dozen fully loaded
magazines. nonmilitary personnel, church secu-
Browning began firing shots out- rity, and others who prevented the
side the church. enemy from entering the church, but
A church member in a pickup the real hero is God."
truck – identified as a deacon – His sermon pointed toward God's
struck Browning with a vehicle in the protection over the church by spar-
parking lot to delay the attack. This ing their lives, that it was a blessing
action gave a trained church security that the church was not hosting any
guard time to respond and engage funerals, and ended by encouraging
the suspect. the worshipers to forgive the shooter,
The church’s security team Browning.
locked the front doors and engaged Ford F-150 sits outside CrossPointe Community Church on June 22, 2025, after its “The motto of the moment is
Browning in a gunfight outside the ‘Walk forward, slowly,’” said Pastor
main entrance. driver intervened in stopping an attempted mass shooting. Gunman, Brian Browning, Kelly in a media statement. “We are
The armed security guard fatally was fatally stopped by church security and was the only casualty in the incident. still figuring out how it all will look,
shot Browning before he was able to hospital. No other injuries were re- pray for our healing, the strengthen- but we do know that we are changed
enter the building. Responding offi- ported among congregants. ing of our faith, and the continued which means that likely some other
cers attempted life-saving measures, "We are grateful for the heroic ac- bond of unity brought about through things will change as well. And all
but Browning was pronounced dead tions of the church's staff members, this shared traumatic experience, change for God is good.”
at the scene by Wayne Fire Rescue. who undoubtedly saved many lives and for the family of Brian Browning. CrossPointe Community Church
A search warrant executed at and prevented a large-scale mass They are hurting too.” is located at 36125 Glenwood Road.
Browning’s residence uncovered ad- shooting,” said Police Chief Ryan Exactly one week later, Cross- For more information about Cross-
ditional rifles, handguns, and a large Strong during a press conference. Pointe Community Church gathered Pointe Community Church, visit cpc-
cache of ammunition. Since the shooting, the church to worship God in the same place cwayne.org or call (734)721-7410.
Investigators revealed that has been closed for cleaning and re- where the shooting incident oc- You can find them on Facebook by
Browning's mother is a member of pairs. Several local churches, grief curred the prior Sunday. Police cars searching “CrossPointe Community
the church, which he had attended counseling agencies, and community were on site Sunday morning as par- Church.”
only sporadically over the past year. programs reached out to assist. ticipants arrived and exited the Be on the lookout next month for
The security guard sustained a “Thank you all for your many church. a more personal recount of the
non-life-threatening gunshot wound prayers,” said Bobby Kelly, Cross- "We are forever changed by this in- events that transpired on June 22nd
to the leg during the exchange and is Pointe Community Church Lead Pas- cident," said Pastor Kelly. “Media out- from some of the people involved
recovering after surgery at a local tor in a media statement. “Please lets want to talk about the that day.
The Wayne Dispatch · July 2025 · 3