Board president: ‘Not an attack on the church\u2019s progressive values’<\/h2>\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/chat-rect.svg\")
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<\/source><\/picture>Roman Collins was arrested Aug. 23. <\/span> | Photo via Fort Worth PD<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA Unitarian Universalist church in North Texas says they don\u2019t believe an incident involving an armed man who shot his dog on the church\u2019s property was a hate crime.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred on Aug. 23 at All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist<\/a> in Fort Worth, where a teacher at a private school that operates at the location discovered a dead dog in a community garden behind the church, according <\/a>to Board President Dan Sexton.<\/p>\nA rifle \u201cwith multiple bullet casings\u201d was also found next to the dog, according to Fort Worth police.<\/p>\n
Officers responded to the scene and investigators determined a security camera on the premises recorded shots being fired just before 4 a.m. Police later filed the incident as an animal cruelty case.<\/p>\n
Later that afternoon, a church administrator heard someone enter the building through a back door and walk into the library.<\/p>\n
When he went to see who it was, he saw the suspect \u201cwearing a tactical vest, stuffed with ammunition, a holstered gun and a rifle lay beside him on the table,\u201d according to a church statement.<\/p>\n
The administrator \u201ccalmly\u201d chatted with the suspect, who, according to the church, admitted to killing the dog and \u201cthat he planned further carnage.\u201d<\/p>\n
The church official managed to slip away and call 911. Police showed up and arrested the suspect, whom they found with a gun near the front door \u201cwaiting for people to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigators later identified the dead dog as belonging to Collins, according to Sexton.<\/p>\n
Police said officers who searched the suspect \u2014 who was later identified as Roman Collins \u2014 found a shotgun, a handgun, and a knife along with loaded magazines and other items.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They also located Collins’ truck, which contained a rifle that had been converted to accept handgun magazines, according to police.<\/p>\n
He was arrested and booked on charges of making a terrorist threat, cruelty to a non-livestock animal, and carrying weapons in a prohibited place.<\/p>\n
Police do not believe the incident was a hate crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe this was not an attack on the church\u2019s progressive values, but the actions of a lone disturbed individual,\u201d said Sexton. \u201cThe Fort Worth Police does not consider this a hate crime.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/01\/150144_w_400_211.jpg\")
<\/source><\/picture>A screenshot of the All Peoples Church website.<\/span> | Screenshot\/allpeopleschurchuu.org<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOn its website<\/a>, All Peoples Church describes itself as an LGBT-affirming church that supports and conducts same-sex weddings and works to \u201cincorporate an understanding of the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons throughout all of our programs, including religious education.\u201d<\/p>\nAccording to Sexton, Collins had attended the church for \u201cseveral months\u201d but they do not believe the incident was linked to the church\u2019s progressive ideology.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew this man because he had been attending our congregation for several months,\u201d he said. While a fear that this incident might be part of escalating political violence is understandable, we strongly believe that we were not targeted for our progressive values.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sexton added that the church would continue to mourn the dog\u2019s death and help comfort those who might have been impacted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe grieve for the loss of the life of this dear animal, for those who have witnessed this traumatic experience, and for all who have experienced violence and may feel retraumatized,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In December 2020, the congregation voted <\/a>to change its name from First Jefferson Unitarian Church after the \u201ccongregation began to understand that by operating under this name, they were perpetrating harm against African American people.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/picture>A Unitarian Universalist church in North Texas says they don\u2019t believe an incident involving an armed man who shot his dog on the church\u2019s property was a hate crime.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred on Aug. 23 at All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist<\/a> in Fort Worth, where a teacher at a private school that operates at the location discovered a dead dog in a community garden behind the church, according <\/a>to Board President Dan Sexton.<\/p>\n A rifle \u201cwith multiple bullet casings\u201d was also found next to the dog, according to Fort Worth police.<\/p>\n Officers responded to the scene and investigators determined a security camera on the premises recorded shots being fired just before 4 a.m. Police later filed the incident as an animal cruelty case.<\/p>\n Later that afternoon, a church administrator heard someone enter the building through a back door and walk into the library.<\/p>\n When he went to see who it was, he saw the suspect \u201cwearing a tactical vest, stuffed with ammunition, a holstered gun and a rifle lay beside him on the table,\u201d according to a church statement.<\/p>\n The administrator \u201ccalmly\u201d chatted with the suspect, who, according to the church, admitted to killing the dog and \u201cthat he planned further carnage.\u201d<\/p>\n The church official managed to slip away and call 911. Police showed up and arrested the suspect, whom they found with a gun near the front door \u201cwaiting for people to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n Investigators later identified the dead dog as belonging to Collins, according to Sexton.<\/p>\n Police said officers who searched the suspect \u2014 who was later identified as Roman Collins \u2014 found a shotgun, a handgun, and a knife along with loaded magazines and other items.\u00a0<\/p>\n They also located Collins’ truck, which contained a rifle that had been converted to accept handgun magazines, according to police.<\/p>\n He was arrested and booked on charges of making a terrorist threat, cruelty to a non-livestock animal, and carrying weapons in a prohibited place.<\/p>\n Police do not believe the incident was a hate crime.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe this was not an attack on the church\u2019s progressive values, but the actions of a lone disturbed individual,\u201d said Sexton. \u201cThe Fort Worth Police does not consider this a hate crime.\u201d<\/p>\n On its website<\/a>, All Peoples Church describes itself as an LGBT-affirming church that supports and conducts same-sex weddings and works to \u201cincorporate an understanding of the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons throughout all of our programs, including religious education.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Sexton, Collins had attended the church for \u201cseveral months\u201d but they do not believe the incident was linked to the church\u2019s progressive ideology.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew this man because he had been attending our congregation for several months,\u201d he said. While a fear that this incident might be part of escalating political violence is understandable, we strongly believe that we were not targeted for our progressive values.\u201d<\/p>\n Sexton added that the church would continue to mourn the dog\u2019s death and help comfort those who might have been impacted.<\/p>\n \u201cWe grieve for the loss of the life of this dear animal, for those who have witnessed this traumatic experience, and for all who have experienced violence and may feel retraumatized,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n In December 2020, the congregation voted <\/a>to change its name from First Jefferson Unitarian Church after the \u201ccongregation began to understand that by operating under this name, they were perpetrating harm against African American people.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/01\/150144_w_400_211.webp\")
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