Remembering
James Robison

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The Brew: Courage in the Face of Terror

WAYNE, MICHIGAN - JUNE 22: A police officer on the scene of a shooting at CrossPointe Community Church on June 22, 2025 in Wayne, Michigan. Police report that a man opened fire at the church, leaving one person injured, before a security guard shot him dead. (Photo by Emily Elconin/Getty Images)

By Gayle McQueary Published on June 24, 2025

In a chilling assault on a peaceful Sunday morning, a heavily armed gunman targeted a Vacation Bible School service packed with children and families at a Michigan church. Simultaneously, escalating tensions in the Middle East saw Iran launch a retaliatory missile strike on a U.S. air base in Qatar while threatening to choke global oil supplies coming through the Strait of Hormuz.

These seemingly disparate events — a domestic act of terror and an international clash — demonstrate how the world is grappling with unpredictable violence and geopolitical brinksmanship. Yet, in both cases, swift action and preparedness mitigated catastrophe, from the heroism of a church security guard to Qatar’s air defenses thwarting Iran’s attack.

Michigan Church Attack

On Sunday, a 31-year-old named Brian Anthony Browning donned a tactical vest and armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with over a dozen magazines, a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. He then began driving erratically outside CrossPointe Community Church in suburban Detroit before exiting his vehicle and firing multiple shots into the building’s exterior while approximately 150 people were inside for a special vacation Bible School service. Congregants initially mistook the gunfire for construction noise — until a security guard directed them to evacuate. A brief video clip from the service captured the moment when a woman urged attendees to move to the back of the room, followed by a clicking sound, screams, and a hurried evacuation.

A church member arriving at the service saw what was going on and struck Browning with his pickup truck, momentarily incapacitating him. This allowed two church security team members to respond, fatally shooting the suspect. Browning shot one security guard twice in the leg during the incident, but the injuries were not life-threatening; the security guard was reported to be in stable condition after surgery. No other church members were harmed, and Browning did not enter the building.

Wayne County Police Chief Ryan Strong noted that Browning appeared to have acted alone and had no prior criminal history. Preliminary interviews suggest he may have been experiencing a mental health crisis, though his motives remain unclear. He was not a member of the church. Strong praised the church’s trained staff and parishioners for their swift actions, crediting them for preventing a potential large-scale mass shooting. Though the church had never been directly threatened, it established the security team about a decade ago after violent incidents at places of worship that made national headlines.

Iran Strikes Back

Yesterday, Iran launched six missiles at a U.S. air base in Qatar that is home to 10,000 American troops in retaliation for the U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a temporary suspension of air traffic due to the increased risk of a retaliatory attack just hours before Iranian officials carried out “Operation Fatah’s Blessing.”

Iranian state media claimed the strike was a “mighty and successful response to U.S. aggression” and that the nation had matched the U.S.’s bomb count. However, Dr. Majed Al Ansari, a top Qatari official, posted on social media, “We reassure that Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles.” So far, there have been no reports of U.S. casualties or damage.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized Iran’s defensive stance, saying, “We neither initiated the war nor wanted it; but we will not leave the aggression unanswered.” This echoes sentiments expressed by Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi warning of further actions against U.S. interests.

Time to “Drill, Baby, Drill!!!”

Furthering the response, Iran’s parliament has said it will potentially close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit thoroughfare handling about 20% of global oil exports from the Middle East. The decision now rests with Iran’s national security council. Experts argue Iran risks significantly harming itself by alienating trade partners like China and provoking neighboring oil-producing countries. A closure could disrupt over 17 billion barrels of oil, impacting Asia, Europe, and North America, and cause shortages for regional refineries. Alternative supply routes, like pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are limited, with only 2.6 million barrels per day capacity against the strait’s 20 million.

The Epoch Times spoke with Stamatis Tsantanis, the chairman and CEO of Seanergy Maritime and United Maritime, about this.

“A partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, now a higher risk after the Iranian parliamentary vote, would have a major impact on energy and infrastructure flows,” he said.

Given China’s invested interest in keeping the strait open, it could end up mediating the situation to keep oil and gas flowing. At press time, there didn’t seem to be an immediate threat to commercial shipping, but a 50% reduction in strait flows for one month could push Brent Oil to a whopping $110 per barrel, per Goldman Sachs, against its current $78.95.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump urged keeping oil prices low, emphasizing increased U.S. drilling (“DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!”), while monitoring markets.

Despite initial concerns from skeptics warning gasoline prices could rise 10 to 30 cents per gallon as a result of the U.S. attack, oil prices fell Monday, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) down 6% to $68.71 per barrel and Brent Oil down 5% to below $72 per barrel.

Here’s hoping the Department of Energy listens to Trump’s request and will “drill, baby, drill” to keep up the momentum.

Along The Stream…

Yesterday Jules Gomes brought us some long overdue good news in “US Catholic Bishops Face Federal Investigation Over Billions in Illegal Immigration Funding.”

Later this morning, Wanda Alger will bring an encouraging word on “How to Disagree without Division.”

Gayle McQueary is The Stream’s social media specialist. She has a background in production and is a scary judge of gas prices.