Shane Canestra credits training, attentiveness, and professionalism of his church’s security team with preventing a mass shooting at his church in 2023.
HAYMARKET, Va.—The man, dressed in all black and wearing dark glasses, caught Rusty Spearman’s attention as soon as he walked through the doors of Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia.
The day was overcast, making the tinted glasses a questionable choice. The man didn’t acknowledge Spearman’s greeting and seemed to barely notice the other people. He didn’t do anything overtly threatening, but something didn’t seem right.
“Bob, we need to keep an eye on this guy,” Spearman told a team leader over a radio earpiece. Spearman and his teammates had no idea that they would make news that day—not for what happened, but for what didn’t happen.
As U.S. churches have become a target for mass murderers, religious leaders are grappling with the complex question of how to protect their congregations. At Park Valley Church in September 2023, Spearman and his team of armed volunteers were the solution. Others are struggling with the theological quandary of whether guns belong in church.
Violent crime is increasing in churches for the same reasons that it is increasing in society, Rob Chadwick, a retired FBI tactical trainer and principal training adviser for the United States Concealed Carry Association, told The Epoch Times. As American culture changes, he said, fewer people have a religious affiliation and critics of religious institutions have a virtual megaphone.
“And, you know, the echo chamber that is social media has turned a lot of people not just away from church but actually against organized religion,” Chadwick said.
Evangelical churches such as Park Valley are more likely to have armed security, according to Lifeway.
Many Churches Ban, Discourage Guns
While older mainline denominations have security plans, many of them discourage or prohibit the use of firearms.The Catholic Church does not expressly ban guns, but it strongly encourages Catholics to leave the use of weapons to trained professionals. Most church security plans call for members to be vigilant during church activities.
A spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, provided a written copy of the church’s security plans. The church prohibits guns from its properties except for those carried by police officers. Even then, the church asks that police, if possible, wear civilian clothing and keep their weapons concealed.
The church calls on its members to support strong gun control laws, but it doesn’t prohibit armed security at its churches. It recommends training church members to recognize suspicious activity, de-escalating nonviolent incidents, and establishing relationships with local law enforcement and first responders.
According to the website, each church should make a security plan that its congregation is comfortable with. The church’s insurance provider, Church Mutual, has published guidelines for setting up a security team, including armed security.
The insurance company warns that having armed security carries a certain amount of liability for the church and that anyone authorized to carry a firearm must be thoroughly vetted and trained.
Safety Ministry
The main worship area has a stage with lighting, cameras, and auditorium seating that allows a view of the entire room. There is a technical booth at the back with equipment for livestreaming, recording, and broadcasting church services.
Shane Canestra is the assistant director of the church’s Safety Ministry—a group of volunteers who have been vetted, trained, and assigned to provide security for their fellow parishioners. Canestra said that because of its proximity to the nation’s capital, the church has some of the most qualified and proven security team members to be found anywhere.
The Safety Ministry is made up of military veterans, retired and active federal law enforcement officers, and a retired Navy SEAL. The team members are also members of the church. Their strategy is to blend in with the congregation while keeping an eye out for any potential trouble.
“We don’t want to lock down the church,” Spearman said.
The Safety Ministry has been in operation for about 20 years, and Canestra has been involved for 12. He said all of the team members are armed, but he doesn’t know of any time that a weapon has been drawn.
Even so, Canestra said he doesn’t believe that Park Valley Church’s model is the right fit for all churches. The most important thing, he said, is that a church has a plan and people designated to implement that plan.
He pointed out that there are less-lethal options such as pepper spray, or martial arts training, but said most important of all is being aware and ready to act.
“These are the biggest assets. You have somebody with eyes watching,” Canestra said. “A firearm is a last, last, last resort tool.”
Part of the scriptural basis for Park Valley Church’s Safety Ministry is in Proverbs 22:3, he said.
“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
In addition to the Safety Ministry, the church has visible security cameras, alarm systems, and off-duty police officers hired as part-time security.
Canestra said Park Valley has about 4,000 members. Up to 3,000 people attend its Sunday services. He said that with that many people gathering together, some security issues are to be expected.
Incident Averted
But on the Sunday of Sept. 24, 2023, Park Valley came close to becoming a tragic headline.After Spearman’s alert, the security team quietly took up positions to keep an eye on the man in black. As he wandered around, it began to appear that he may be trying to determine the best place to carry out an attack.
He tried to access the second-floor balcony through a children’s area but was turned back by Canestra. He then entered the worship area, where a service was already in progress, and took a seat.
After a few moments he tried to enter the tech booth, found the door locked, and left.
Back in the lobby, he appeared to be checking the glass in the doors and windows by tapping on them. He then turned and faced the doors to the worship area.
From where he stood, he would have had a clear shot at people as they left at the end of the service.
When the man stepped outside, a security team member saw an opportunity to keep him out of the church and began talking with him.
At that same time, a police officer arrived and began questioning the man. It was no coincidence that the officer showed up.
Earlier that day, in neighboring Fairfax County, a young woman who knew the man in black had been checking social media and found some alarming posts written by him.
The posts had been made to his Instagram account at about 2 a.m. They included photos of the church and threats to attack.
“I am not here to sabotage the mission. I am here to deny the men the life God puts so much effort to deny me everyday. No women will be harmed. To those down below: I am dropping this space suit and coming back after I am finished sending a message. Blood will be on your hands. This is how you repay me for my sacrifices. I’m done,” one of the posts read.
The woman called police, and they began searching for the man. Officer Shawn Peak, who found him at the church, is also a church member and part of the Safety Ministry.
Canestra said police found that the man had four signed manifestos at his apartment lamenting unsuccessful relationships with women, unemployment issues, and other complaints. Based on what they had found, police said they believed that the would-be assailant was intent on killing as many men in the church as he could.
In June, the 36-year-old Virginia resident was sentenced to 25 years in prison and five years of supervised release, according to a June 18 statement from the Justice Department.
Canestra said that based on what the security team saw that day and the contents of the manifestos, the man apparently planned to shoot people as they exited the church. He said he is grateful that the Safety Ministry training worked and that no one was harmed, including the would-be shooter.
“We’re glad that [the man in black] did not get killed either,” he said.
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