A 16-year-old armed with a rifle attempted to infiltrate a First Communion ceremony attended by scores of children. The suspect was swiftly confronted by vigilant parishioners, disarmed, and handed over to the police, thereby averting a potential catastrophe.
The Abbeville Police Department (APD) received a call around 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, alerting them to a suspicious individual armed with a gun at the church. The suspect, dressed entirely in black and concealed by a hood, had tried to gain entry through the church's rear entrance.
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Upon opening the door, the suspect was promptly confronted by parishioners who escorted him outside and alerted the police. The Arcadiana Advocate reported that when the police arrived on the scene within a minute, they found the suspect disarmed and restrained by several parishioners.
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The suspect claimed there was a second shooter in the vicinity, prompting APD officers and deputies from the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office to conduct a thorough sweep of the area for additional threats and evacuate the church.
A livestream of the Mass captured the moment when an individual informed Rev. Nicholas DuPré of the unfolding situation. Maintaining his composure, Fr. DuPré asked his congregation to remain seated and join him in prayer. Amidst the ensuing panic, parents were seen escorting their children to safety.
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The church acknowledged the panic caused by the evacuation in a statement, expressing gratitude to the parishioners and police officers for their swift action. The church also invited the First Communicants to receive their First Holy Communion at any Mass they chose to attend over the weekend.
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In the aftermath of the incident, the church announced that uniformed police officers would be present at all future Masses. The APD revealed that the suspect was taken to Abbeville General Hospital's behavioral unit for a medical evaluation and was later charged with terrorizing and two counts of possession of a firearm by a juvenile.
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Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel of the Diocese of Lafayette lauded the quick response of the Abbeville PD and the alert parishioners. "We are thankful to God that a tragedy was avoided at the First Communion mass for the children of St. Mary Magdalen in Abbeville," he said in a statement.
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This incident comes on the heels of a series of attacks on religious institutions across the globe, including a shooting at a Pennsylvania church, a stabbing at an Australian church, and a shooting at a Houston-area megachurch.
A report from the Family Research Council highlighted a disturbing trend, indicating at least 915 acts of hostility against American churches between 2018 and 2023, ranging from vandalism and arson to bomb threats.
In the wake of the incident, St. Mary Magdalen Church shared a prayer on Facebook, calling for healing, courage, wisdom, and peace in the face of violence.
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