Carl Chinn, 65, is a man of deep faith who once viewed church as a sanctuary of peace—until a harrowing encounter with an armed gunman 28 years ago changed everything. On May 2, 1996, Chinn was taken hostage by a man armed with a rifle, handgun, and explosives at Focus on the Family ministry in Colorado Springs.
That life-threatening moment sparked a shift in his understanding of the vulnerability of churches.
Before this incident, "security wasn’t even in the back of my mind," Chinn recalled. The attacker, a construction worker disgruntled over an injury from a previous job at the ministry, sought revenge after his disability claim was partially denied.
During the standoff, he fired into a wall before police subdued him. “That was my wake-up call,” Chinn said, acknowledging the incident as a pivotal moment that reshaped his life.
Chinn’s exposure to violence didn’t end there. In 2007, he witnessed another attack when a gunman opened fire at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, killing two and injuring three before being stopped by a security team.
These experiences led Chinn to investigate the growing number of violent incidents in U.S. churches. His research revealed a shocking statistic: from 1999 to 2020, over 1,000 people were killed in violent attacks in churches.
Chinn discovered that the leading cause of deadly incidents in churches was robbery (24.4%), followed by domestic violence (15%). Five percent were driven by anti-religious hatred, a statistic that continues to alarm him as incidents of violence motivated by religious bias persist.
Recent incidents highlight the ongoing threat. In May 2023, a man attempted to shoot a pastor during a sermon in Pennsylvania, only to be stopped when the gun jammed. In another case, a woman opened fire with an AK-47 in a Texas church, resulting in her and her 7-year-old son's deaths.
In response to the growing violence, Chinn founded the Faith-Based Security Network (FBSN) in 2017. The organization now includes over 800 members from various faith communities, working to train and prepare churches to protect their congregations.
"We are seeing more animosity toward faith-based organizations," Chinn said, attributing the rise in attacks to a societal decline in morality and respect for places of worship.
Churches have been slower than schools or government buildings to adopt security measures, but Chinn’s mission is to change that.
His organization teaches "intentional security readiness" through threat assessment, security protocols, and the use of both lethal and non-lethal defensive measures. Chinn believes such preparations are essential for the future, as divisions in society grow sharper.
The data Chinn has collected paints a troubling picture. In 2017, there were 118 deaths in church-related incidents; in 2018, that number was 88. Although there was a slight drop during the pandemic, violence against houses of worship remains a serious concern.
Law enforcement and security experts agree. The Dolan Consulting Group analyzed 17 years of FBI data, finding that violent incidents at places of worship result in an average of 46 deaths and 218 serious injuries each year.
Religious bias continues to be a key motivator, with hate crimes targeting faith communities, especially Jewish and Christian congregations.
As violence against religious institutions rises, Chinn remains committed to helping churches protect their members. “There’s a cry for something more stable,” he said, though he acknowledges that the solution won’t come from politics.
His goal is clear: to equip churches with the tools and training they need to safeguard their congregations in an increasingly hostile world.
More Violence Prevention and Self Defense Resources
The Center for Violence Prevention and Self Defense is a non profit 501(C)(3) with a mission to stop violence by educating at-risk people and empower them with the skills needed to protect themselves by providing online and live training.
Through workshops and seminars we educate participants about violence prevention and guide them on assessing risk factors while establishing boundaries in relationships. Additionally practical self defense classes equip people with hands on skills and effective strategies to prevent and intervene in cases of assault.