Related
Advertisements *
Elsewhere
Subscribe: RSS
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Subscribe: Email
![]() |
![]() Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Most Popular
- Evangelist Ted Haggard returns to the pulpit in Illinois
- Peoples Temple: pain of cult massacre lives on
- Jury awards $2.5 million to teen beaten by Klan members
- Opinion writer spouts misinformation about the term ‘cult’
- Religious cult member convicted but viewed as victim of cult leader
- Cult or Church: Woman questions Order of Christ-Sophia
- Cult member in toddler starvation case ordered released pending trial
- Arkansas takes 21 children from Tony Alamo Christian Ministries compound into protective custody
- Lawyers for FLDS leader Warren Jeffs to question anti-polygamy activist Flora Jessop
- French appeals court restores marriage between two Muslims in virginity case
Detroiter is shot, killed during church service
2 others wounded; suspect is later found dead
A woman was shot and killed in the balcony of Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit during a worship service Sunday, destroying the feeling of sanctuary as churchgoers panicked and crawled under pews in fear.
Kevin L. Collins, 22, of Detroit walked into the 11 a.m. service at Van Dyke and Willard, looking for his girlfriend, police said. Instead, he saw her mother, Rosa Williams, 38. He sat beside her, witnesses said, and demanded to know her daughter’s whereabouts. Williams refused to tell him, and then left. He returned to the balcony with a shotgun and shot Williams, police said.
He also wounded a girl in church and shot a man near the church, police said.
Church members said they continued to pray and sing.
About 4:30 p.m., Collins was found with a hole in his chest behind an apartment building on St. Paul at Van Dyke, Detroit Police spokesman James Tate said. Police said Collins shot himself with the shotgun he used to kill Williams.
After fleeing the church, police said, Collins approached a car parked on Norvell, a few blocks south of Zion Hope. Victoria Davis, who lives on the street, was in the driver’s seat. Collins jumped in the passenger side. She struggled with him, police said. Her husband, Alarie Davis, 54, saw the struggle in the car, ran over and snatched Collins out of the passenger seat. They fought over a gun, and Alarie Davis was shot in the chest, police said.
Police said Davis was being treated at Detroit Receiving Hospital on Sunday evening. His condition was not known.
The hand of 9-year-old goddaughter, Toi Edwards, was injured by buckshot from the shotgun blast, police said. She was treated at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.
The news that Collins had been spotted at the apartment building on St. Paul sent police speeding from Zion Hope to the scene. Police said Collins shot himself after a cop spotted him and gave chase.
Officers said they heard a shotgun blast behind the house moments before they found him dead.
As officers and EMS workers pulled Collins’ bloody body into an ambulance, bystanders screamed in horror.
“Will he make it?” one woman screamed.
Prior to Collins’ suicide, members of the church trickled from the inside throughout the afternoon. Most who witnessed the shooting were interviewed by police. Some cried as they comforted one another. A group gathered on the corner and sang “Victory is Mine.”
“People shouldn’t be afraid to come back out to church,” said Anthony Bennett, 24, of Detroit, a longtime member of Zion Hope.
“The sanctity of our sanctuary has been disturbed,” said the Rev. Curtis R. Grant, Zion Hope pastor. “We’re just trying to get the families and the children through this tragedy.”
Grant, who hugged reporters outside the church, said, “This is not only happening at Zion Hope. This is happening all over the city. … It shouldn’t have to happen at a particular church for us to be alarmed.”
Like this story?
Today's Most Popular Articles |
|
Share this
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
Article and Site Tools
» PermaLink to: Detroiter is shot, killed during church service Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final / » More news articles + news archive on USA » More religion and cult news Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?] » RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed » RSS News Feed - Single Topic: USA » Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines |
More Article Tools
Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us Bookmark / Tag: Furl Save this article Email this article Print this article [Temporarily out of order] More Information Books about USA Relevant books (and other goodies) |



