by Heroic Deed of Deacon Saves Church from Shooting
Deacon Richard Pryor from the state of Michigan saved the parishioners of the Crosspointe Community Church in the city of Wayne when he saw an armed man in a tactical vest on June 22. Pryor, who was late for the service, without hesitation, crashed into the attacker with his pickup truck, preventing him from entering the church.
As law enforcement found out, 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning had a long-barreled weapon and a pistol with him. He managed to open fire on Pryor’s car, but that did not stop the deacon. His actions gave the church security guard time to neutralize the criminal.
“I realized there was no time and acted instantly to protect the people inside. I think it was God’s providence, because I wasn’t aware of my actions at that moment,” Pryor said.
Community Gratitude
Car dealer Demmer Ford decided to thank the hero by giving him a new black F-150 pickup truck. During the presentation ceremony, the company’s representative, Matt Demmer, noted:
“As part of the community, we wanted not just to provide Richard with transportation, but also to express our respect for his deed.”
Pryor was left without a car after the incident, but only for a few weeks. He thanked everyone who supported him after the tragic events, noting that such attention was a surprise to him.
This story once again emphasizes the importance of civic courage and quick reaction in critical situations. According to witnesses, there were many people in the church at that moment, and Pryor’s actions prevented a potential large-scale tragedy. Interestingly, the attacker had no criminal past, and his mother was a parishioner of this church.
