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As Church Shootings Persist, Congregations Grapple With How to Handle Security

Shane Canestra credits training, attentiveness, and professionalism of his church’s security team with preventing a mass shooting at his church in 2023.
As Church Shootings Persist, Congregations Grapple With How to Handle Security
Assistant Director of the Park Valley Church Safety Ministry Shane Canestra speaks during an interview at the Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Va., on Dec. 5, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times
Michael Clements
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HAYMARKET, Va.—The man, dressed in all black and wearing dark glasses, caught Rusty Spearman’s attention as soon as he walked through the doors of Park Valley Church in Haymarket, Virginia.

The day was overcast, making the tinted glasses a questionable choice. The man didn’t acknowledge Spearman’s greeting and seemed to barely notice the other people. He didn’t do anything overtly threatening, but something didn’t seem right.

Michael Clements
Michael Clements
Reporter
Michael Clements is an award-winning Epoch Times reporter covering the Second Amendment and individual rights. Mr. Clements has 30 years of experience in media and has worked for outlets including The Monroe Journal, The Panama City News Herald, The Alexander City Outlook, The Galveston County Daily News, The Texas City Sun, The Daily Court Review,