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An emotionally disturbed person (EDP) came to one of our local churches looking for a woman that he had a secret infatuation with. She knew who he was, but really had no idea about his how serious he was. He knew quite a bit about her, including where she lived.

This particular church has a high percentage of congregants that do not drive, so they operate two large vans to pick them up; a blue van and a white van. The blue van usually picked her up, but on the day of the incident, the white van was sent on that route.

The EDP was waiting at the church for the blue van to arrive. He had perceived a problem in their “relationship.”  He had hidden a plastic gasoline container outside the church. He also had a small, tin can (like a soup can) full of gas that he was carrying. His intention was to board the van upon its arrival, douse the woman with gasoline, then light her afire.

When the blue van arrived and she wasn’t on it, he raged and began to pour the gas from the larger container all over the front doors to the church. Males from the church saw this and tackled him to the ground, preventing ignition of the gasoline. If the gas had ignited, there would have been a serious fire, possibly resulting in injury or death.

The men who intervened were not part of a security team. They had arrived early for church; in fact the incident occurred prior to most of the regular congregants arriving.