EXCLUSIVE: Church Horrors: Hero Quickly Stops Active Shooter During Service Avoiding Brutal Bloody Massacre
Jay Trombley stepped in to protect his church from a shooter.
July 23 2025, Published 7:30 a.m. ET
A courageous congregation stepped in as an active gunman stormed into their Texas service and tried to shoot, only to be overwhelmed and pummeled by a hail of bullets from a heroic church security guard, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Jay Trombley, a 57-year-old church volunteer and ex-military veteran, opened fire during the June 22 Sunday service in Christ's Victory Church in North Central Texas, just as gunman Brian Browning, 31, began an AR-15 rifle assault on the faithful.
"He had a mask, thought it was mechanical, then raised his gun and pointed it to see people running, toward my family," one worshipper recounted.
Armed church security stopped a masked gunman during a Texas Sunday service.
"He had a weapon and mask," said a young man, also injured. "I popped open the mask and said, 'Where's the ammo,' and I headed in that direction."
Outside, Browning, who had managed to haul himself back up after a quick-thinking deacon rammed him with a Ford F-150 pickup truck, was exchanging fire with two members of the church's security team, wounding one of them in the leg. The church had wisely formed the team, which included Trombley, some out of 10 years earlier, out of fear that someone like Browning might one day target the church.
Trombley took cover in the church lobby as the maniac kept firing at him.
"God's hand protected me. It got me in just the right spot," Trombley said.
A pickup truck and return fire helped foil a deadly assault inside a house of worship.
He returned fire, mortally wounding his target.
"Knowing that man was coming to take my life, the life of my family, and 80 children and community, no children among my more people," he says.
"It doesn't really justify it in my head, but it does, in a way. Satan sent that man to discourage our house of worship and to try to change the word for damage or an impact that man to the people of our community."
Congregation members said divine protection saved dozens from a planned massacre.
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Church's lead pastor, Bobby Kelly, says Browning, who had no prior criminal record, exploded. He had occasionally attended the church, according to police reports, but in the past few Februarys. Colleagues believe he was "suffering a mental health crisis" at the time of the attack.
"The one thing that always has been on the back of my mind is that the devil would come into our church," Trombley confessed.
"Will I run from it?" Trombley then answered that question yesterday.
