Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 24 November 2025

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. 

1 dead, 8 injured in shootings as police attacked during riots near Chicago Christmas tree lighting

In Chicago, two separate shootings erupted late Friday night in the Loop, just hours after the city’s Christmas tree lighting in Millennium Park and large crowds gathered nearby for the Christkindlmarket. In the first incident, gunfire broke out wounding seven teenagers aged 13–17. Shortly afterward, a second shooting occurred where an 18-year-old man was shot in the leg, and a 14-year-old boy was fatally wounded. According to local officials, around 300 juveniles were reportedly rioting, and several police officers were injured in the chaos. Authorities have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Meanwhile in Concord, North Carolina, a Christmas tree lighting ceremony was disrupted by gunfire just before 7:30 p.m. Four people were shot; three are in critical condition and one is stable. Authorities say the violence stemmed from a conflict among individuals who knew each other, not a random act, and have identified multiple suspects, including an 18-year-old and a juvenile. The rest of the event was canceled, and police are investigating, reviewing video footage, and interviewing witnesses.

Analyst Comments: These incidents highlight a broader pattern seen annually during large holiday gatherings: dense crowds, limited visibility, and open public spaces create environments where interpersonal disputes or group conflicts can quickly escalate into violence. In both Chicago and North Carolina, the shootings appear tied to groups of teens or individuals who already knew one another, underscoring that many public-event shootings are not random attacks but interpersonal disputes that spill into crowded areas. The chaos in Chicago where officers were also attacked during crowd unrest demonstrates how rapidly order can deteriorate in large youth gatherings, and how difficult it becomes to distinguish victims, offenders, and bystanders in real time. North Carolina’s incident reinforces the challenge of securing large family-focused events that rely heavily on open access and minimal screening. These events occur nationwide every holiday season, often with limited security staffing or planning, making them consistently vulnerable to disruptive conflicts, opportunistic violence, and crowd panic.

Former contractor admits to hacking employer in retaliation for termination

A 35-year-old Ohio man pleaded guilty to computer fraud after admitting he hacked his former employer’s network in retaliation for being fired.  After his termination on May 14, 2021, he impersonated another contractor to gain login credentials, then ran a PowerShell script that reset about 2,500 passwords locking out thousands of employees and contractors across the company.  He also deleted system logs and took steps to hide his actions.  The resulting disruption caused over $862,000 in damages, including employee downtime and costs to restore the network.  He admitted the attack was motivated by anger over his termination.  Sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2026, when he could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  The FBI investigated the case.

Analyst Comments: This case highlights how former employees can inflict significant operational and financial damage simply by leveraging previously authorized access. The attack shows how insider threats can be a risk for all organizations including HOWs. Any environment that relies on volunteers, contractors, or short-term staff like HOWs should treat access control as a serious part of their security posture. Organizations should consider prompting off-boarding, strong credential hygiene, monitoring for unusual login activity and limiting access only to what each person may truly need. By adopting these practices, HOWs and other organizations can reduce their vulnerability to insider misuse, strengthen resilience, and maintain trust and continuity within their communities.