A Sunday service turned to horror when a gunman drove his truck into a stake centre of the Church of Jesus Christ in Michigan, opening fire in an attack that killed four people and wounded eight others. In the chaos, a 14-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero for protecting his younger siblings and leading his family to safety.
The boy, Jasper, had been serving as an usher that morning, stationed at the chapel doors to help maintain reverence during the sacrament service. Moments before the attack, he stepped away, telling his family he needed a tissue. His aunt, Amber Rosen, later described the moment as “so unexpected,” noting that Jasper had not been ill but felt a sudden need to leave his post.
It was a decision that may have saved his life. Minutes later, the attacker crashed his vehicle through the same chapel doors where Jasper had been standing. He entered the building and began shooting as more than one hundred congregants tried to escape.
Jasper quickly ran to the back of the chapel, where his mother and three younger siblings were seated. As gunfire rang out, he grabbed his eight- and ten-year-old brothers and searched for an alternate escape route. With the main doors blocked, the family tried a back exit, only to find it jammed in the rush of people.
Pushed against the glass and unable to get through, Jasper struck the window repeatedly with his elbow until it shattered, clearing the way for his family to escape without injury. Once outside, he flagged down a car and placed his brothers inside to ensure they were taken off-site and out of danger.
His sister, 11-year-old Josie, had been separated in the rush. Witnesses said she was later discovered by SWAT officers in nearby woods, clutching a church hymnbook. The family was reunited after the ordeal, which unfolded as flames consumed parts of the building and officers exchanged gunfire with the attacker.
“Jasper comforted his mother and assured her his sister was safe, even when she feared the worst,” Rosen said. “He was so brave and heroic.”
The shooting left four dead and eight others wounded. Authorities have not released further details about the condition of those injured.
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