The security team of a church in Memphis, Tennessee stopped a gunman who entered the house of worship on Easter Sunday carrying several firearms.
Marcus Donald, 31, entered the Bellevue Baptist Church at around 11 a.m. during which about 4,500 people were there to attend Easter Sunday service, the police said, according to CBN News.
An usher saw Donald carrying guns and quickly alerted the church's security team, which contacted the Memphis Police Department.
The suspect was carrying a loaded 40-calibre Beretta and a 300 Blackout rifle in his backpack, according to News Channel 3.
Andy Willis, head of the church's security, is at the forefront of ensuring the safety of churchgoers.
"Today, churches that speak the truth, that teach and preach true biblical principles, they draw a lot of attention because there are a lot of components of society today that don't want to hear that," he told CBN News.
The church uses state-of-the-art cameras to monitor movements inside the church.
"A camera system that constantly monitors and records activities on campus is extremely important," Willis said, adding that these are not expensive "and the thing that you get is the protection in a liability situation that you won't have if you don't have it."
The police quoted Donald as saying that "people in society are a threat to him and that he must be vigilant."
He was arrested by the police without any incident.
The church in a statement said a heavily armed man entered the building and was arrested. It thanked "the diligence of our security people and the Memphis Police Department."
Willis said Christians need to trust God but they should also be prepared.
"The biggest thing that makes me cringe when I talk to other churches about security is they will say, 'We don't have security; we're just praying that nothing happens," Willis said.
