🔥🕊️ Tragedy in the Sanctuary: Kentucky Church Shooting Leaves Community Grieving

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SPECIAL REPORT

A Peaceful Morning Shattered

What began as a quiet Sunday at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, quickly turned into chaos. At approximately 11:35 a.m. on July 13, 2025, 47-year-old Guy E. House—fleeing police after shooting a state trooper during a traffic stop—stormed into the church and opened fire. The congregation, gathered for worship, had no warning as House began his rampage. Within minutes, two women—72-year-old Beverly Gumm and 34-year-old Christina Combs—were fatally shot. Two men, including Pastor Jerry Gumm and Randy Combs, were wounded, one critically. The shooter was shot and killed by police shortly after the assault.

A Chain of Violence

The incident began miles away near Blue Grass Airport, where House shot and wounded a Kentucky State Police trooper during a routine traffic stop. He then hijacked a vehicle and fled to the church, about 15 miles away. Investigators believe the suspect had a connection to members of the congregation, although the motive remains unclear. Law enforcement responded swiftly to the active shooter call, and a public integrity investigation—including the release of body camera footage—is underway to provide transparency on the police response.

Mourning and Moving Forward

The Lexington community and state leaders have expressed outrage and heartbreak over the incident. Governor Andy Beshear and Attorney General Russell Coleman condemned the violence, calling it an “invasion of the Lord’s House” and praised the courage of responding officers. The victims’ families are left to grieve devastating losses: Gumm, a beloved church mother of eight, and Combs, a young nursing student and mother. As the survivors recover and the church regathers, many are turning to faith and fellowship for strength. This tragedy underscores the growing need for comprehensive safety protocols in places of worship—and the urgent call for healing in communities shaken by violence.

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REGIONAL THREATS

AFRICA

• PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA – On July 13, 2025, armed assailants ambushed an evangelism team shortly after a church service, killing two preachers in Gwon village; the gunmen emerged from nearby hills, opened fire, and then retreated when local vigilantes and military forces responded  . Later that day, another individual was shot dead in the neighboring Bachit community amid escalating insecurity in the area.

• KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA – On July 11, 2025, armed bandits identified as Fulani herdsmen stormed an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) meeting around 3:30 p.m., opening fire and killing five worshippers and injuring three others. Security personnel were alerted later that evening (around 9:20 p.m.) and have launched efforts, alongside other agencies, to track and apprehend the attackers.

• KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA – On July 7, 2025, a group of 15–20 armed men identified by their Fulani accents stormed a late-night worship service at Bege Baptist Church in Yaribori village, Kafur LGA. They opened fire, killing Pastor Emmanuel Na’allah Auta and church member Mallam Samaila Gidan Taro, and abducted a woman from the congregation.

MIDDLE EAST & CENTRAL ASIA

• TARTUS, SYRIA – Syrian security arrested three individuals on July 14, 2025, over their alleged plot to bomb a church in Khreibat village, seizing approximately 20 kg of explosives along with sectarian extremist materials.

• TAYBEH, WEST BANK, PALESTINE – In recent weeks, Israeli settlers have intensified a campaign of violence against Taybeh—one of the last fully Christian villages in the West Bank—through arson (burning fields, homes, vehicles), threats against holy sites (notably the 5th-century Church of St. George and the cemetery), land grabs for settlement expansion, and intimidation that has paralyzed farming and instilled fear among residents.

• DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP – On July 17, 2025, an Israeli airstrike struck the Holy Family Catholic Church compound—the only Catholic church in Gaza—killing at least three civilians and injuring around ten, including parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli, who was close to Pope Francis. The compound, which was sheltering hundreds of displaced Christian and Muslim civilians, suffered severe damage.

SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA

• No current updates.

LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

• No current updates.

NORTH AMERICA

• RALEIGH, NC – On Sunday July 13, 2025, during religious services at five Raleigh-area churches—including Our Lady of Lourdes, Highland United, Providence, Summit, and Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral—thieves broke into at least 31 vehicles, targeting pickup trucks likely to contain weapons.

EUROPE

• No current updates.

AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA

• No current updates.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please pray for the 21 Christians recently arrested across Iran for gathering in house churches. Ask God to strengthen their faith, grant them peace in detention, and open doors for their release. Pray also for protection over the underground church and for wisdom for global advocates working on their behalf.

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