Religion

Facts

Religious institutions have been targets of gun violence, often driven by hate. The following incidents highlight the vulnerability of religious communities to gun violence, often exacerbated by extremist ideologies. This is not a complete list of shootings at religious institutions.

• Islamic Center of San Diego (2026): Two shooters killed three people before taking their own lives. —The Trace
• Annunciation Catholic School (2025): A former student opened fire during a back-to-school Mass in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring 21 others. —The Trace
• Geneva Presbyterian Church (2022): A man fatally shot one person and wounded five others. Authorities said it was a hate-driven attack on the Taiwanese congregation. —The Trace
• Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting (2018): Eleven Jewish worshippers were killed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. —Sandy Hook Promise
• Sutherland Springs Church Shooting (2017): Twenty-six people were killed at First Baptist Church in Texas, marking the deadliest mass shooting at a place of worship in U.S. history. —Sandy Hook Promise
• Charleston Church Shooting (2015): Nine African American churchgoers were killed during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. —The Trace
• Sikh Temple of Wisconsin (2012): A white supremacist with ties to neo-Nazi groups fatally shot six people and wounded three. One of the wounded later died of complications from his injuries. —The Trace
• Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (2008): A shooter motivated by racism and anti-LGBTQ+ hatred killed two people and wounded six others. —The Trace

Possible Solutions Underway

There are multiple efforts to address gun violence in religion, including, but not limited to:

Grants

• The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), administered by DHS/FEMA, provides grants to at-risk religious institutions to improve physical security, including surveillance systems, access controls, and emergency communication.
• Federal nonprofit security grant funding continues to expand. —The Washington Post
• Increased security systems, including security cameras, improved locks, lighting and visibility, and metal detectors.
• Security personnel.
• Community and congregation involvement.
• Training and drills.