(WBRE/WYOU) — The attack at the Michigan church is the latest attack on a house of worship in the United States. Last month, a catholic church was attacked in Minnesota. Two children were killed, and 21 other people were injured.
Now questions are being raised across the country and here in our area, what, if anything, can be done to stop it from happening here?
28/22 News I-Team Reporter Andy Mehalshick is working the story and learned area religious leaders are watching closely what is taking place across the nation.
They say the faithful must be vigilant.
"They're are no real words to describe what we saw unfold in Michigan," Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph Bambera told 28/22 News.
Bishop Bambera leads the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton. He says any attack on any house of worship of any faith is pure evil.
"It's gut-wrenching. It's frightening to think that someone could invade a space with a vehicle to set the place on fire, take out lives, and create such havoc at a place where people are gathered for prayer, trying to find some meaning and purpose in their lives," Bishop Bambera explained.
The Scranton Diocese includes 11 counties, more than 200,000 parishioners, 19 schools, and 103 parishes.
He says security is tight at its schools, but churches are still a work in progress.
"It's our parishes that become a little bit more of a challenge because our churches are places that should be open and welcoming to everyone, and we recall, choose not to have them locked, but, obviously, we are looking at ways which we need to keep our people safe, and it may come to something like that," Bishop Bambera added.
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For now, Bishop Bambera is preaching vigilance.
"Be proactive, be as vigilant as you possibly can. Right now is probably the best way for us to keep our parishes safe," Bishop Bambera continued.
Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters calls these attacks acts of terrorism.
He helped form Terrorism Task Forces at the White House under Presidents Clinton and George Bush.
"It sounds overused, see something, say something, but it's so true, because at first indication if everyone is alerting someone else, particularly law enforcement, then we might be able to prevent some of these," Peters said.
Peters and Bishop Bambera say the first line of defense is the public.
