Richard Pryor

Last June in Wayne, Michigan (25 miles west of Detroit), a church deacon averted a tragedy with some quick thinking. Deacons carry out a wide variety of tasks in support of church elders and pastors, duties that can range from administrative and organizational to maintenance or treasurer roles.

Richard Pryor, a deacon at CrossPointe Community Church, was arriving a bit late to a morning service and observed a man in the church parking lot driving erratically, parking, and then heading toward the sanctuary doors wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and handgun. Over 100 people, including a number of children, were inside for vacation bible school. Here’s what happened next:

“With no time to think, [Deacon Pryor] slammed the accelerator of his 2018 Ford F-150 and rammed the gunman in the church parking lot. The shooter opened fire, damaging the truck and injuring a church security guard in the leg…. [B]efore more shots could be fired, the church’s trained security team returned fire, stopping the threat.”

A parishioner told the press that Pryor “would not want to be called a hero. He is one of the most humble guys I’ve ever seen…. And he is 100% giving all the glory to God.”

GoFundMe campaigns were launched for both Pryor and injured security guard Ron Amann, who has required extensive surgery and will miss months of work. According to an account in the Detroit Free Press, “if their GoFundMe pages are any indication, along with the scores of social media posts and comments about their heroic efforts that day, there are plenty of folks singing their praises and grateful for their efforts.”

Pryor’s riddled-with-bullets truck was totaled, but a local Ford dealer, appreciating that the outcome that day “could have been a heckuva lot worse,” awarded Pryor’s bravery with a brand-new replacement truck.

This story is also living proof of the importance of the Second Amendment and the reality—denied by gun controllers—that guns very often save lives. Deacon Pryor did not have a gun, but the church’s security team did. A video about the incident advises churches to prepare for potential threats with safety plans and training, “Because ministry isn’t just about preaching, it’s about shepherding, protecting, and being ready when it matters most.”