Someone who knows me and knows I write this Blog asked me a question. “Why do you advocate for self-defense in Church buildings even with the Church’s latest change in policy?” Yes I do advocate for self-defense at Church, but also everywhere! My experiences in the military gave me an appreciation for security and often I am “hyper-vigilant”. But to be honest, I’ve kept track of violence on Church property for some time. The only “research” I do concerning it is a Google search, so you can see it’s not very scientific. But the results are alarming enough to where I want my kids aware and using some situational awareness. Here it is:
Violence at LDS buildings and threats toward the Church
April 1999
SLC, UT
“2 Shot Dead In Mormon Library”
January 2008
Lehi, UT
“Woman shot to death outside church”
August 2010
Vasalia, CA
“Mormon bishop fatally shot in California chapel; gunman killed”
December 2010
South Jordan, UT (Oquirrh Mountain Temple)
“Police shoot armed man outside LDS temple”
December 2011
SALT LAKE CITY — Murder charges were filed Friday in the case of the shooting death of Hairam Torres, who was found dead in the back seat of a rental car parked at an LDS Church parking lot in West Valley City on Dec. 10.
February 2013
Columbus, OH (Columbus Temple)
“Police: 2 Shot In Parking Lot Of West Side Mormon Temple”
July 2013
PLAIN CITY, Utah -- A man was arrested outside a church in Plain City on Sunday after authorities said an argument over "seat saving" in the pews escalated to a fistfight in the parking lot and another man being hit by a car.
November 2013
Las Vegas, NV (Las Vegas Temple)
“Son of judge killed himself in Las Vegas LDS temple courtyard”
(This was a suicide but it was violence on Church property)
October 2014
SLC, UT
“Woman shot outside of church in South Salt Lake”
May 2015
EAGAR, Arizona — An Arizona man is dead and two others injured — including a pregnant woman — after he began shooting at a LDS stake center in Eagar, Arizona, and later at his residence, officials say.
“Suspect killed by police after shooting at Mormon stake center”
June 2015
OAKLEY, CA — Two people were shot, and another bludgeoned multiple times, during a large fight between two groups outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while Sunday service was getting out, police said.
April 2016
GILBERT, Ariz. - Gilbert police are looking Wednesday morning for the three men involved in shooting a 19-year-old man at an LDS church Tuesday night.
July 2016
Smithfield, UT
“Police have arrested a 30-year-old Smithfield man, Jason Summers, who is accused of shooting at someone while trying to break into an LDS Church, Thursday night.”
August 2016
Solon, OH
An officer saw a man sitting in his car beside the LDS church. As the officer approached, the man jumped out of his car, ran into the trees and shot himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
(This too was a suicide and not necessarily on Church property)
June 2016
SLC, UT
A meth purchase gone bad led to a vehicle chase and shooting. The fleeing vehicle went into the parking lot of an LDS church as the aggressors caught up to them and continued shooting at them. The victims tried to break into the church to get away which prompted a burglar alarm & police came. Nobody was hit by the gunfire.
June 2016
Amarillo, TX
A 23-year-old man shot another man nearly a month before that Wednesday when he was injured in another gun battle. The man walked over a mile to get away from the scene where he knew police would be looking for him. He chose to hide behind an outside wall of the LDS church, where an observant officer noticed his leg sticking out. The man refused orders to show himself, and when the first thing officers saw was his gun they opened fire on him. He was hit but will survive.
April 2016
Vancouver, WA
As a group was in the LDS Church playing basketball, someone broke out a window in the other end of the church, entered the building, and set books and the podium on fire. The guys playing basketball smelled the smoke and discovered the fire, putting it out before anyone got hurt.
March 2016
Herriman, UT
A 12-year-old boy was playing in the parking lot of the LDS church when a man pulled up in his car and tried to convince the boy to get in with him. The boy ran off and police have been looking for the potential abductor.
January 2016
Idaho Falls, ID
A man’s estranged wife showed up at his funeral at an LDS Chapel and became angry. The bishop asked her to please not say those things, and she pulled out a gun and began to threaten the funeral attendees. Everyone got out safely, and police arrived to disarm and arrest her.
January 2016
Rigby, ID
Around 10:25 PM that Friday night police responded to the parking lot of an LDS church on reports of gunfire. Police found a shattered window at the church, then arrested a man a short time later based on descriptions given by witnesses.
June 2017
Riverside, CA
Girl abducted from Mormon Church sexually assaulted in a dumpster
(This was violence but no weapon is mentioned.)
April 2017
SLC, UT
A woman rebuked another woman for parking in a handicap spot without a sticker. The driver drove up beside her in the parking lot of the LDS Church and threw a Slushy in her face, then ran over her breaking both her legs. Police continue to look for the Cadillac Escalade driver.
January 2017
Kalamazoo, MI
A woman was in the LDS church parking lot when she was confronted by a man demanding her car keys. She refused, so he punched her repeatedly in the face and took it anyway. She had no idea it was at the end of a violent crime spree including armed robbery, arson, and another woman shot in her home.
November 2017
San Diego, CA
On November 29 a jihadist media group published an image suggesting San Diego could be in the crosshairs of terrorists this holiday season. The San Diego California Temple in University City appears to be their target of choice. An image of a terrorist holding an assault rifle was superimposed on the Mormon temple, which appears to be on fire. The two towering spires rise up on either side of the jihadist. A statement at the bottom of the image reads, “Coming Soon.. San Diego.” The words “Coming Soon” are wrapped in Christmas decorations and splattered with red.
March 2018
Newberry Township, Pennsylvania
A shooting on Friday, March 30, at a church in Newberry Township was ruled a suicide by the York County coroner.
Police were on the scene at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 800 Pleasant Drive, in the township when a coroner was dispatched about 6 p.m. for a report of a possible self-inflicted fatality, according to a coroner's report.
May 2018
ST. GEORGE, Utah — A Mormon church spokesman says an intruder broke into a church temple in southern Utah and damaged furniture, artwork and other items before being stopped by church workers and arrested by police.
Eric Hawkins of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says the St. George Temple resumed normal operations after the incident Saturday morning.
Hawkins says the intruder damaged items as he made his way to the temple’s fifth floor and caused additional damage there.
(This is not physical violence. But the guy had to have had something in his hand to do this damage. And he made it to the 5th Floor!)
July 22, 2018.
Fallon, NV
On Sunday, a middle-aged Mormon man went into the LDS chapel where his ward was having sacrament meeting, and sat quietly for part of the service. Then he opened fire, killing one ward member and wounding another.
Dec. 2, 2018
Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil
'Everyone will die': Blood-soaked man is arrested for stabbing four during Sunday service at LDS church in Brazil
Uniform Crime Reporting program results DOJ 2017 statistics
Of the 1,749 victims of anti-religious hate crimes:
58.1 percent were victims of crimes motivated by their offenders’ anti-Jewish bias.
18.6 percent were victims of anti-Islamic (Muslim) bias.
4.3 percent were victims of anti-Catholic bias.
3.3 percent were victims of bias against groups of individuals of varying religions (anti-multiple religions, group).
2.3 percent were victims of anti-Protestant bias.
1.8 percent were victims of anti-Other Christian bias.
1.5 percent were victims of anti-Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Other) bias.
1.5 percent were victims of anti-Sikh bias.
0.9 percent (15 individuals) were victims of anti-Hindu bias.
0.9 percent (15 individuals) were victims of anti-Mormon bias.
0.7 percent (13 individuals) were victims of anti-Jehovah’s Witness bias.
0.7 percent (12 individuals) were victims of anti-Buddhist bias.
0.5 percent (8 individuals) were victims of anti-Atheist/Agnostic bias.
4.9 percent were victims of bias against other religions (anti-other religion).
The FBI documented 15 "anti-Mormon" hate crimes, or crimes specifically targeting Latter-day Saints, in 2017. That's roughly twice the seven "anti-Mormon" hate crimes recorded in 2016 or the eight in 2015, when the bureau first started tracking bias-motivated offenses against religious minorities.
July 23, 2019
St. George, Utah
Shooting in LDS Church parking lot
This is something that seems to be escalating. I know that there have been problems in other countries with members or missionaries but those seemed to be isolated incidents that did not repeat very often. They are now the “norm” for the United States.
These and other personal reasons I have for advocating self-defense at Church. I do not, and will not, suggest that anyone breaks Church policy. I wrestle with this struggle myself but that is a personal problem. My advice is to be safe and secure. There are other ways to defend yourself and just paying attention will get you far.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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