Authorities in Michigan have identified the man responsible for Sunday’s attempted mass shooting at a church in Wayne, a suburb southwest of Detroit. According to police, 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning of Romulus, Michigan, was the individual killed during an exchange of gunfire with a church security guard after he opened fire during a morning service.
Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said during a press briefing that swift actions by church personnel likely prevented a far greater tragedy. “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,” he stated, according to Fox.
The shooting began around 11:06 a.m. on Sunday, when police received multiple 911 calls reporting a man dressed in camouflage and a tactical vest retrieving firearms from a silver SUV in the church’s parking lot. A witness noted the vehicle was being driven erratically before it was parked on the west side of the building.
Moments later, additional calls to 911 reported gunfire. A parishioner in a pickup truck rammed Browning in the parking lot in an attempt to stop the attack. According to the Wayne Police Department, the church’s security team acted immediately, securing the building’s front entrance and engaging Browning outside the doors. He was fatally shot by a member of the security detail. First responders attempted life-saving measures upon arrival, but Browning was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police confirmed that Browning was heavily armed at the time of the shooting. He carried an AR-15-style rifle, a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, more than a dozen fully loaded magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
One churchgoer sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg during the incident. The victim was transported to a hospital and remains in stable condition following surgery, officials said.
