He and His Mother Attended Same Michigan Church. Then He Showed up with a Rifle — But Congregants Thought Fast

The man killed during what police say was an attempted mass shooting at a Detroit church had been attending the church, most recently in February, the church pastor says. 

Investigators responded to the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Mich., on Sunday, June 22, after getting several reports that “a white male suspect wearing camouflage clothing, a tactical vest” was seen grabbing guns from his vehicle to enter the church, per Wayne police. 

Investigators identified the man as 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning from Romulus, Mich., Wayne Police Department said in a statement. 

Bobby Kelly Jr., who is the lead pastor at the church, tells PEOPLE Browning was the son of a woman who attends the church, although she is not a member. While she doesn’t attend on a weekly or monthly basis, Kelly said, the woman did attend “from time to time.” 

Browning attended the church about three times since last year, when he first began going, Kelly said. He was there most recently in February.

Wayne police say Browning did not have any prior interactions with law enforcement and did not have a criminal record, adding that the investigation indicates he may have been “suffering a mental health crisis.”

Related Stories

Man Opens Fire into a Michigan Church, Deacon Runs Him Over with a Truck to Stop the Attack

Bowling Coach Kills Mich. Teen in Murder-Suicide — Stepdad Says ‘Disturbing Emails’ Offer Clues

Per witnesses, Browning showed up in the parking lot of the church, driving “erratically” and within minutes there were calls reported of the suspect firing shots, Wayne police said in their statement. 

A parishioner driving a pickup truck hit the suspect before responding security officials engaged with Browning outside the entrance of the church. A member of the security team then allegedly shot and killed Browning. 

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

“We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church’s staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large scale mass shooting,” Wayne police said in their statement.

The investigation is ongoing.