2023 Crossfire Church Stabbing

Lessons from a Church Deadly-Force Attack

An article based on the Safety Member Certification training module "Active Shooter Response."[1]

From the Bible

But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him (Numbers 35:20-21).

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds (Proverbs 27:23).

Background –

Crossfire World Outreach Ministries (also known as Crossfire Church) is a church in Springfield, Oregon with a satellite campus in Eugene. The present lead pastor is the son of the original pastors. He and his wife are listed as pastors, as were his mother and father.

Among Crossfire's ministries is Hands of Hope, which is dedicated to helping those in need in the twin cities of Eugene and Springfield. This is primarily with food, though the church helps in other ways. Those helped include the homeless, many of whom are addicted to alcohol and drugs.

Ministering to these people does present security concerns, as we have already covered in previous articles: 2015 Anna Prayer Center Stabbing, 2020 Grace Baptist Church Stabbing, and 2020 Glorious Church of God in Christ Shooting.[2][3][4]

Outside the Sanctuary –

The time was 12:12 pm. The morning worship service on the Springfield campus of the Crossfire Church was still in session. People were standing outside the sanctuary talking, using their phones, or just waiting. Security team members were present.

Suddenly, one man drew a knife and attacked another. A security team member or a bystander intervened (news accounts are not specific), and the assailant stopped and withdrew.

911 was called immediately, and Springfield police officers were soon there. The victim had a slash to his head and a stab wound in the neck. While he was being treated, officers questioned witnesses. They found the assailant close by. He was calm and admitted to the knife assault. Officers arrested him peacefully.

The Assailant –

The man with the knife was one of the people being helped by the church's Hands of Hope ministry. He was homeless and a habitual user of drugs. Drug possession and use were legal in Oregon, so there was little that law enforcement could do. The problem with homelessness was made worse by drug decriminalization. Users could not be compelled to enter treatment programs. Churches were doing what they could to feed the homeless and offer guidance and counseling.

The pastor of Crossfire Church said that they "do not screen" the people coming to church, meaning they don't deny them entrance to church services. However, they knew when someone was homeless and on drugs.

As to a possible motive, the assailant did not know the person he attacked. He had mental health issues related to drug use (especially fentanyl) and imagined threats by other people.

Afterwards –

The victim fully recovered. The assailant was charged with assault and using a deadly weapon. The pastor told a reporter that the church does "have a very robust security and staff."[15]

As of now, two years later, I could not find updates on charges filed against the attacker. Perhaps he could be in a mental health care facility.

Lesson Learned: Be Ever Observant –

Even though homeless people are not turned away when coming to church, greeters and security team members should be alert to any signs of weapons of any kind, not only guns, but also knives. What if someone does have a knife? In some facilities, such as city hall in Canton, Ohio, prohibited items can be checked in at the door and picked up when leaving. Some churches have bag searches, as recommended by Terry Berringer in "Today we will Dig into Bag Searches." Since many homeless persons carry back packs, a bag search is reasonable. If bags can be checked in, give a claim token to each person who checks a bag in.[5]

Here are the lessons:

• Watch for any signs of weapons, not just guns.
• Train and drill the safety team and greeters in spotting weapons on persons.
• Train and drill in handling a person with a weapon.
• Search bags at the door. Some bags should be checked in.
• Set up a table for searching bags.
• Have a place to hold checked-in bags, knives, etc. This spot is attended, such as by the team member searching the bags.
• Train and drill team members and greeters in verbal de-escalation.
• Watch for pre-attack moods and behaviors.
• Kris Moloney and Simon Osamoh cover this in a YouTube interview. One behavioral indicator is "breaking social norms."[6]
• If there is an attack, call for help and call 911 immediately.

Free Download –

Effective watchfulness is a key to security. We have a free download for you, "Church Safety Observation Guide." Download the Church Safety Observation Guide and take practical steps to monitor entrances, identify unusual behavior, and improve safety in your congregation today. Click *HERE* to get it.[6]

Training Resources –

The key training resource of Sheepdog Church Security is the Safety Member Certification course with its eight training modules (classes):

1. Safety Team Fundamentals
2. Active Shooter Response
3. Deescalating Disruptive Persons
4. Protecting Children from Abuse
5. Basic Use of Force Laws
6. Arson and Fire Safety
7. Storms and Disasters
8. Mass Trauma Emergencies.

A student passing each class qualifies to be a Certified Safety Member.[1]

Other training resources are the Church Security Guide and Expert Resources, both authored by Kris Moloney. Also, add the Guest Articles, most written by experienced church security leader Terry Berringer.[7][8][9]

Conclusion –

Watch for hidden threats, even among the very people you are helping.

References –

Sheepdog Church Security Resources:

1. Kris Moloney, "Active Shooter Response," Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, © 2020 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/bundles/safety-member-certification].
2. WGV, "2020 Glorious Church of God in Christ Shooting," Sheepdog Church Security, June 19, 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/glorious-church-god-christ-shooting/].
3. WGV, "2020 Grace Baptist Church Stabbing," Sheepdog Church Security, July 25, 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/2020-grace-baptist-church-stabbing/].
4. WGV, "2015 Anna Prayer Center Stabbing," Sheepdog Church Security, May 16, 2023 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/articles/2015-anna-prayer-center-stabbing/].
5. Terry Berringer, "Today we will Dig into Bag Searches," Guest Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, January 30, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=today-we-will-dig-into-bag-searches].
6. Kris Moloney and Simon Osamoh, "CSRC Special Interview with Simon," Church Security Roll Call on YouTube, November 11, 2021 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3E48EUV3w0&list=PLiGluOUZx7Rd5tLJgcNnVPTcmo_hPwbsp&index=1&t=26s].
7. Kris Moloney, "Church Safety Observation Guide," Sheepdog Church Security, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/church-safety-observation-guide].
8. Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018-2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide].
9. Kris Moloney, Expert Resources, Sheepdog Church Security, 2023-2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=expert-resources].
10. Terry Berringer, et al, Guest Articles, Sheepdog Church Security, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=guest-articles].

News Accounts and Online Resources:

1. Ryan Bonham, Noah Chavez, "Springfield man arrested in stabbing at church, police say," KEZI, Mar 13, 2023 [https://www.kezi.com/news/springfield-man-arrested-in-stabbing-at-church-police-say/article_11f11cea-c1d1-11ed-b188-73ec3258cba4.html].
2. News Staff, "Police: Springfield man arrested after stabbing during Sunday church sermon," KTVL, March 13, 2023 [https://ktvl.com/news/police-springfield-man-arrested-after-stabbing-during-sunday-church-sermon].
3. News Staff, "Quick Response Leads to Apprehension of Stabbing Suspect at Church," KQEN, March 13, 2023 [https://kqennewsradio.com/2023/03/13/quick-response-leads-to-apprehension-of-stabbing-suspect-at-church/].
4. City Staff, "Quick Response Leads to Apprehension of Stabbing Subject," City of Springfield Oregon, March 13, 2023 [http://springfield-or.gov/quick-response-leads-to-apprehension-of-stabbing-subject-without-incident/].
5. Arielle Del Turco with contributions from Abigail Ferrara, Laura Grossberndt, and Chris Gacek, "Hostility Against Churches; Supplemental Report – First Quarter 2023," Family Research Council, April 2023 | No. IF23D01 [https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF23D04.pdf].
6. Ryan Foley, "69 churches attacked in the first 3 months of 2023: report," Christian Post, April 13, 2023 [https://www.christianpost.com/news/sixty-nine-churches-attacked-first-three-months-2023-report.html].
7. Church Staff, "Hands of Hope," Crossfire World Outreach Ministries [https://mycrossfire.com/hands-of-hope].
8. Church Staff, "Security Ministry," Crossfire World Outreach Ministries [https://mycrossfire.com/security].