Deacon Richard Pryor of CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, has been blessed with a new truck weeks after his vehicle was totaled while helping to stop a man who attempted to carry out a mass shooting during the church’s worship service on June 22.
A police report cited by the Detroit Free Press states that 31-year-old Brian Browning, who was fatally shot by a member of the church’s security team, was witnessed erratically driving a silver SUV before parking it on the west side of the church building. Dressed in camouflage clothing and a tactical vest, Browning approached the church entrance armed with an AR-15-style rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. He opened fire at the church before being run over by Pryor, who was arriving late for church at around 11 a.m. that day.
Pryor’s quick thinking in using his vehicle to stop Browning’s attack on the church gave the congregation’s security time to take him down while getting members to safety.
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Matthew Demmer, general manager of Jack Demmer Ford, located less than 2 miles from the church, presented Pryor with a 2025 F-150 PowerBoost on a two-year free lease for his act of bravery last Thursday, and the deacon was elated.
“I can’t be more than thankful enough for everybody’s support. The Lord was definitely involved in the events of that Sunday,” Pryor told WXYZ. “Everything that’s transpired afterwards and how everybody’s reached out, Jack Demmer, Ford, it’s been more than expected, so I can’t be more than appreciative, just thank you to everybody.”
Pryor, who was the first person to notice Browning advancing on the church, previously told WXYZ how everything unfolded.
“As soon as he got out of the vehicle, I saw the fatigues, I saw the gun on his hip, and he pulled the weapon out of his vehicle,” Pryor recalled.
He said he made a split-second decision to pull the gunman away from the church by charging directly at him with his truck, and Browning opened fire on him.
“He shot a round through the truck, and in those few seconds, I realized the truck was dead and I didn’t have a weapon on me,” the deacon explained.
As he presented Pryor with his new truck, Demmer explained that while the deacon welcomed the gift, he was a bit reluctant to accept it.
“He was incredibly grateful for it and was almost standoffish like he doesn’t deserve it, which is certainly not the case,” Demmer told the news outlet.
The gift of the truck from Jack Demmer Ford comes after more than $47,000 was also donated in a GoFundMe campaign to support the reluctant hero in acquiring a new vehicle.
“I wanted to personally thank everyone who contributed to this GoFundMe. I don’t have words to express how grateful I am. The incident that led to my truck being destroyed has obviously changed me. But the level of love and gratitude I have experienced since has changed me so much more,” Pryor said in a message to donors on June 30. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. If you donated and we happen to cross paths, please say hello. I would love to meet each of you to tell you personally thank you myself.”
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