Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 16 July 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.

Updates on Attempted Assassination of Former President Donald Trump

• Multiple security failures allowed would-be assassin to get clear shot at Trump
• DHS secretary says direct line of sight ‘should not occur’ in wake of Trump assassination attempt
• Police were warned of Trump rally shooter at least 86 seconds before gunfire, video shows
• Would-be Trump assassin was spotted by cops twice 26 minutes before he wounded ex-prez, killed retired fire chief: report
• Trump Rally Shooting: A Visual Timeline of How the Assassination Attempt Unfolded
• Local counter-sniper team was inside building where Trump shooter climbed on the roof and opened fire: sources
• US Secret Service expresses support for local police after Trump assassination attempt
• TIME: What We Know—and Don’t Know—So Far About the Trump Rally Gunman
• FBI, DHS warn of possible retaliation for attack on Trump
• Militias Are Recruiting Off of the Trump Shooting
• FBI Update on the FBI Investigation of the Attempted Assassination of Former President Donald Trump
• Secretary Mayorkas Delivers Remarks at White House Press Briefing
• Statement From U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle

Analyst Comments:

We will continue to learn more about what occurred as the FBI investigation continues. Yesterday we shared some resources related to the role of bystanders and  “If You See Something, Say Something®”. Below are additional resources for the community.

From DHS’  Recognize Suspicious Activity:

“Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that may indicate pre-operational planning associated with terrorism or terrorism-related crime. With the help of the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has identified common signs of terrorism-related suspicious activity. Some activities could be innocent, but trained law enforcement officials can determine whether the behavior warrants further action.

Remember: Factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity are not suspicious. A cornerstone of the DHS mission is ensuring that people’s civil rights and civil liberties are not diminished by our security efforts, activities, and programs. As such, the DHS “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign encourages the public to report only suspicious behavior and situations (e.g., someone breaking into a restricted area), rather than one’s appearance, to authorities.”

The DHS See-Say-Recognize-The-Signs-Infographic explains 16 suspicious activities which may be observed and reported.

‘I saw fear on everyone’s face’: Church members recall chaos, terror after gunman opens fire inside north St. Louis County church

NBC 5 reports that a gunman entered the Brothers And Sisters In Christ Fellowship Church in Missouri on 14 July and was encountered by an armed security guard. Shots were fired and the gunman fled.  At the sound of gunfire, the pastor had the congregation hide, including having children hide in a closet.

Analyst Comments:

Starting in January of 2024, and ending in June of 2024, the FB-ISAO hosted a series of discussions on FireArms in the House. The FB-ISAO takes no position on this topic, other than to promote best practices in pursuit of the house of worship’s objectives and implementation of any appropriate model.

The series was broken up into the following sessions:

• Introduction and Overview
• Armed Considerations
• Unarmed Considerations
• Legal Considerations
• Insurance Considerations
• Roundtable and Parting Thoughts

The FB-ISAO FireArms in the House Series: What Did We Learn? provides a few of the best practices shared by panelists. In addition to the best practices, on 20 June, FB-ISAO published a FireArms in the House Series Digest. The digest captured the talking points made by panelists and is intended to assist houses of worship with making decisions that are appropriate to their unique circumstances. Additionally, on 26 June FB-ISAO published an advisory which provided considerations for navigating this complex topic. Both products, as well as the recordings, are available to members of the FB-ISAO.