Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 29 March 2024

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Police: ‘Firework-type’ device explodes, injures four inside Henderson church

From Fox 5 KVVU:

According to the Henderson Police Department, the device ignited within “resulting in minor injuries to four subjects.” A letter to Palm Canyon Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stated, “Apparently, some outside person threw a device that caused an explosion in the gymnasium of the Arrowhead building.” A juvenile who was present at the time of the incident provided a photo to FOX5, showing the damage on the gym floor. El Dorado Stake President Steven Morris told FOX5 that this is the third explosive device thrown into the building within the last month.

Analyst Comments:

Faith-Based Organizations should consider being aware of the entire threat environment, including explosive devices.

DHS provides the Explosives Attack | Homeland Security website with Preparedness, Response, Recovery, and “All” resources.

FB-ISAO’s 04 January 2024 Daily Awareness Post lists extensive resources concerning bomb threats.

Grand jury indicts Rui Jiang for attempted church shooting

From WUSA9:

“FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging 35-year-old Rui Jiang for plotting to shoot up a church in Prince William County last year. If a judge convicts him on all counts, he could face life in prison.

The indictment charges Jiang with attempting to obstruct congregants of the Park Valley Church in Haymarket in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The indictment charged that his attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and included both a threats count and a firearms violation.

During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain …”

Related DOJ Press Release:

• Office of Public Affairs | Virginia Man Charged for Attempted Church Shooting | United States Department of Justice

Related Articles Published at Time of Incident:

• Man brought gun, knives to Virginia church service after making online threats: police
• Man brought weapons to Va. church after online threats, police said
• Armed suspect arrested at a Haymarket church, while service in progress Sept. 24 – Bull Run, VA
• Rui Jiang Arrested in Haymarket Church with Loaded Weapon
• Man arrested ‘minutes’ before mass shooting at Virginia church
• Church shooting foiled in Virginia

Analyst Comments:

The FB-ISAO 26 September 2023 Daily Awareness Post (DAP) highlighted this story when it occurred. This was a case of someone seeing something online and saying something, several law enforcement jurisdictions working together, and finally, a house of worship security team thwarting the attack.

At the time, FB-ISAO members made good observations in FB-ISAO Slack.

The DAP also provided the following resources:

Information on the See Something, Say Something campaign can be found here.

Citizens and Faith-Based Organizations should know their local, regional, and state tip lines and suspicious activity reporting (SAR) processes.

The FBI also has an online tip form at Electronic Tip Form.

The following resources are available from DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and other federal partners:

• Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship – Security Guide (cisa.gov)
• Protecting Places of Worship: Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence (cisa.gov)
• Security of Soft Targets and Crowded Places-Resources Guide.
• First Responder Toolbox: Reporting Suspicious Activity – Critical for Terrorism Prevention