Church security team member who reportedly shot gunman dead outside sanctuary recalls moment when 'evil came to our door'

Jay Trombley — a member of CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan — told WXYZ-TV he initially thought the noise he heard during Sunday's service was something "mechanical."

Trombley recalled to the station that he "turned to see people running" and "asked them through a door what had happened."

'The one thing that always has been in the back of my mind — the question: "If I hear that noise, will I run to it, or will I run from it?" And I answered that question yesterday.'

A young woman told him "AR-15" and pointed to where the noise was coming from, and Trombley told WXYZ that he "headed in that direction."

As a volunteer member of the church's security team, Trombley and the team's other members immediately went to work.

Police said 31-year-old Brian Anthony Browning of Romulus, Michigan, was wearing camouflage clothing and a tactical vest, was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, and had more than a dozen fully loaded magazines as well as a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Browning also was firing at the church, police said.

Police said a church member driving a pickup truck hit Browning. Senior Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr. told the Detroit News that the church member actually drove over the suspect: "He was run over by one of our members who saw this happening when he was coming into church."

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Police told Blaze News that this photo shows the vehicle a church member used to hit the shooting suspect. Photo by Emily Elconin/Getty Images

What's more, the gunman shot at the vehicle repeatedly, Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong told the Detroit Free Press at a news conference Sunday evening.

Police said the church security team locked the church's front doors and exchanged gunfire with the suspect outside. Police said a member of the security team shot and killed the suspect. First responders pronounced the suspect dead after performing lifesaving measures, police said.

One member of the church's security team was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital, where he was last listed in stable condition after a successful surgery, police said. The wounded security team member did not fire a weapon at the gunman, Deputy Chief Finley Carter III told Blaze News, adding that he was one of three security team members involved.

Kelly told the Detroit News that the attacker didn't enter the church building, but several shots were fired into the church. Carter added to Blaze News that police haven't yet determined how many rounds the gunman fired. No other church members were hurt, the Detroit News added.

WXYZ said Browning attended a few services at the church where his mother was baptized, but the station added that it's unclear why he chose to carry out a mass attack there.

Trombley knows one thing: The suspect's act was "evil."

"We found out that evil came to our door, but God's hand of protection was right over us," Trombley told WXYZ. "So many things happened that can only be God-driven: The parishioner shows up late to engage him with this pickup truck to slow him down; a double-pane window stopped five rounds. ... God's hand was protecting me."

The station added that Trombley is "coming to terms with the reality that the cost of saving lives Sunday was taking one."

"I realize what happened yesterday, what my actions did," Trombley told WXYZ before a lengthy, thoughtful pause. "You know, I will reconcile with the Lord on a time for that, you know. I was protecting his people."

"The one thing that always has been in the back of my mind — the question: 'If I hear that noise, will I run to it, or will I run from it?' And I answered that question yesterday," he added to the station.

WXYZ said Trombley doesn't view himself as a hero, but rather a guardian protecting his family — and the members of CrossPointe Community Church are his family. Check out his interview with the station titled "Church security guard speaks out after shooting and killing armed man" below.

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CrossPointe issued the following statement about the shooting on its website:

On Sunday, June 22nd at approximately 11:15am, an armed gunman attempted to bring about maximum casualties during our worship service. But instead of having to report massive losses, we are grateful to God that there was only one member of our security team who suffered a leg injury caused by the gunfire. As details emerge, we are seeing God’s hand of protection more clearly in how what could have been, simply wasn’t.

There are many heroes, both men and women who acted bravely and selflessly to prevent an all out catastrophe. Among these were the members of our security team who engaged the suspect and subdued the threat. There is also the church member who was divinely positioned to see the assailant approaching the church in full tactical gear, including an assault rifle, and acted swiftly to hit him with his truck, injuring him. This action kept the gunman from ever entering the building and gave our security team extra needed seconds to respond. Glory to God!

To the Wayne Police, EMS, and Fire, along with the other localities that arrived on scene, thank you for your very swift response to secure the scene and offer support and comfort as we tried to catch our breath from this attack.

Lastly, we are extremely encouraged by the response from several local churches, grief counseling agencies, and community programs who have reached out to assist. We will be taking advantage of as much as we can to help us move forward. But most importantly, thank you all for your many prayers. They are much needed at this time. Please pray for our healing, the strengthening of our faith, and the continued bond of unity brought about through this shared traumatic experience, and for the family of Brian Browning. They are hurting too.

Through all of this, know that we will continue to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and clarity so that people, including the Brian Brownings of the world, can learn that we can all be forgiven if we repent from our sins and place our faith in Jesus Christ, who is forever praised, amen.

A Wayne resident recalled to Blaze News the sounds of the shooting, noting that what actually was happening wasn't immediately apparent to him.

"I heard everything," the man recounted to Blaze News on the condition of anonymity, adding, "I was in my backyard and heard loud noises coming from the church."

The resident — who was just a few hundred feet from the church — added to Blaze News he "thought it was construction" and "then I go to my job and see police cars." He added that he later learned the details of the shooting and that it was "really sad."

"I know people who go to the church," the man told Blaze News, adding that they're dealing with some trauma but are managing it.

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