Think About it -- Homicide Experience

There is an increasing number of people who have been directly involved in a deadly force incident (DFI) at a church or ministry. There is a smaller number who were directly involved when their attack actually resulted in a homicide or multiple homicides. There is an even smaller group who can tell it.

On Saturday, 7/26/25, at SOS.25, a handful of men who personally responded to homicide attacks at their ministries, will form a panel to discuss lessons learned for others. These men and their stories are (listed in order of the date of attacks);

1. Stephen Willeford. First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs (TX). Stephen is the neighbor who sprang to action responding to and stopping what was the worst attack in U.S. history on a church on November 5^th, 2017. 26 congregants lost their lives before Stephen could run there from a block away and stop the killer.
2. Jack Wilson. West Freeway Church of Christ, White Settlement (TX). Jack was the security director when a killer came in on December 29, 2019 and opened fire inside the sanctuary. The entire attack and remarkable intervention were caught on camera in a video that has been used countless times for effective training.
3. Vince Harrison. Calvary Church, Albuquerque (NM). Vince was (and remains) the Director of Security at the church where his security officer was killed in an attack on September 23^rd, 2022. The killer left without harming anyone else but was arrested and is now incarcerated.
4. Michael Collazo. Metro Nashville (TN) Police Department. Michael was the first one through the door responding to the Covenant Christian School killer on March 27^th, 2023. His body worn camera footage of the actual takedown of the female killer is famous.
5. Bruce Alpe. Lakewood Church in Houston (TX). Bruce was (and remains) the Director of Security and was there when a female shooter was stopped on February 11, 2024 before she could kill anyone. Though she attempted entry where hundreds sat, her efforts were prevented by an enforced security program already in place.

While each of these experiences speak of the character of these men, each attack carried unique lessons learned.

If there is any one consistent lesson learned applicable to all it is; “if you are security, get to the attacker quick.”

Think About it

Never underestimate the value of experience.