Church Members 'Valiantly Risked' Their Lives as Man Stabbed 2 at Bible Study

Michael Foust | ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor | Published: Jul 20, 2020
Church Members 'Valiantly Risked' Their Lives as Man Stabbed 2 at Bible Study

Church Members 'Valiantly Risked' Their Lives as Man Stabbed 2 at Bible Study

Police in Fairfax County, Va., arrested a suspect Saturday in the stabbing of two people at a Bible study at a well-known church in Chantilly.

Both injuries were reported as non-life-threatening.

Chance Harrison, 32, of South Riding was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, one count of felony assault on a police officer and one count of misdemeanor assault.

Police say Harrison entered Grace Covenant Church in Chantilly in the afternoon Saturday as the church was hosting an educational event. He stabbed one person, a staff member, without provocation, police say. A man then “intervened and also was stabbed by Harrison,” the Fairfax County Police Department said on its blog.

News4 in Washington, D.C. said the event was a Bible study.

“Harrison was subsequently confronted and subdued by Chief [Edwin C.] Roessler and several others. A knife believed to have been used by Harrison was recovered from the scene,” the blog said.

Roessler, who is a member of the church, received minor injuries. He restrained Harrison until other police arrived.

“We are in prayer for all the injured. We are grateful for the courage exhibited that prevented worse from happening” Grace Covenant Pastor Brett Fuller said in a statement. “Lastly, we want to thank the broader community for their outpouring of concern and support in this time.”

Fuller told News4 “two church members came to the pastor’s aid and valiantly risked their own lives to defend him.” Fuller also told News4 that Harrison was a member of the church.

Harrison allegedly drove his SUV up to the entrance of the church, parking only feet from the door, News4 reported. He then allegedly entered the Bible study and began yelling and screaming before stabbing a pastor (not Fuller) who was leading the study, News4 reported. Fuller said there was no previous indication Harrison had a problem with anyone at the church.

Photo courtesy: Pixabay


Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chroniclethe Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.



Church Members 'Valiantly Risked' Their Lives as Man Stabbed 2 at Bible Study