Church shocked by Sunday shooting near its meeting place

Police investigate a drive-by shooting near the meeting place of the Eastern Avenue Church of Christ in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Photo by Lauren Petracca, via www.mlive.com)

mLive.com reports from Grand Rapids, Mich.:

The Sunday sermon had barely begun for members of the Eastern Avenue Church of Christ when it became known a man had just been shot outside the former school building where they were gathered.
“We heard the police sirens and saw the guy laying on the ground,” said Leonard Ison, a member of the church, which is meeting in the former Southeast Academic Center at 1250 Sigsbee St. SE while its building is under construction.
The man Ison saw was identified by family as Michael Marshall, 27, of Grand Rapids, who police said was riding his bicycle north on Fuller Avenue SE when someone drove by and sprayed him with bullets about 12:10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug 4.
Marshall was shot in the stomach and rushed into surgery following the drive-by shooting, which took place in the middle of the day in a busy neighborhood.
He was conscious and alert while receiving medical aid from first responders, police said.
“It’s just amazing that this can happen in broad daylight,” said Joseph Edwards, a church member who expressed concern about the possibility of bullets flying indiscriminately around the Baxter neighborhood.
“That could have been any of us out here in the parking lot after church,” he said. “There’s no telling what could have happened.”

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• Feedback
  Just highlights the need for concealed carry in our churches

  Bobby Henry

  August, 5 2013

  Please don’t carry a gun to services. If you had been packing, you wouldn’t have gotten there in time to prevent the shooting.
  When we were burglarized during the night when we were asleep at home, we were so spooked I asked my retired police officer friend about dusting off an inherited pistol and having it by the bed. He suggested that I could fire the pistol and the bullet could go through our walls and into our neighbors house where their children’s bedroom were.
  I kept the pistol locked away and a year latter, we discovered that the person who came in and stole our computers, was a family member. What if I had heard them and, in the dark, shot them?

  Anita Johnson

  August, 6 2013

  All who break in don’t alwasys just want things, they will do harm to those who may be home. That is when a gun may be your only recourse. If you do not intend to use the gun for defense you may as well sell it, locking it up makes it useless. Has about the same effect as having a gun but no ammunition.
  To have a gun does not mean you intend hurting anyone it just means you may keep them from hurting you or any of your family, friends or possibly neighbors. Criminals usually are unwilling to go further when confronted by an armed homeowner. Often just firing the gun gets their attention and encourages their departure.
  To have a gun also means you need to know how to use it. That means some practice firing. Timidity in times of crisis can get you killed if you are too afraid to use the gun you have!
  The Scripture tells us if we knew when a thief would appear we would be prepared. So since we can’t know, either be prepared or hope it never occurs. We puts locks on our doors to keep honest people honest.

  Marion Hickingbottom

  August, 8 2013

  Hello sister! I approve of your comments. I grew up in a christian home, and my grandfather, father, and myself were/are elders. I also saw a reference to my great-grandfather and the gr. grandfather of my former best friend that they were the 2 elders of the church in our area in the 1800’s. A long history. I’m getting old myself. My grandfather, father, uncle and others had and used guns–for hunting and target shooting for “bragging rights”. My best friend joined in, and he got advanced training from his father. He and I wandered the woods rabbit, squirrel and crow hunting for many years during our teens. Both of our fathers stressed safety. When pheasant hunting with my dad and some of his friends I got embarrassed when dad spoke to me, and when I turned left towards to get him to repeat what he said I swung my shotgun across him absent mindedly. My penalty was to continue hunting with my gun unloaded for nearly 1/2 hour. I learned. I never made that mistake again. I also missed getting to shoot at a few rabbits and pheasants during that time. I really hated that penalty, but I learned from it. My friend’s dad was usually even more strict than that. I’m still safety conscious, and I still have guns. Your formerly hunting buddy in spirit, Jack

  Jack Kemp

  August, 8 2013

  See above, I apparently wrote my reply to Marian Hickenbottom in the wrong space. I hope it can be transferred to the right place by you.

  Jack Kemp

  August, 8 2013