Freedom to practice religious beliefs is a fundamental human right in the United States. Places of worship are centres for religious communities, representing a shared place for worshippers to come together. Unfortunately they are also a focus for hate crimes - targets for shootings, bomb threats, arson and vandalism.

Recently four people were killed and eight were injured in a shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, and the church was set ablaze.

Unfortunately this is not the only recent incident

In the United States in 2025, eight people were killed in three separate shootings at religious sites. In 2024 (the most recent year with complete data), FBI statistics showed a record high of 2,738 incidents targeting religious communities. Multiple incidents were recorded across 48 states, including attacks on synagogues, churches, mosques, Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras.

The characteristics of places of worship that make them a part of the community can also increase risks. They are usually open to the public, they may have a large number of people inside during meetings and they are unoccupied when not being used. They represent a visible legacy from people of faith who have contributed to the community, sometimes over generations, so can be a focal point for deranged individuals, criminals or violent activists.

What can your religious community do to help protect worshippers and buildings against the growing number of threats?

The key is situational awareness. This means to be able to see what is happening at all times, and immediately understand the situation. Situational awareness allows you to take timely action to reduce the impact of an incident, whether an active shooter case or vandalism.

Video surveillance can provide coverage, but by itself this is only part of the solution. Studies of security operators have found that even if someone is constantly monitoring all cameras, they will likely miss the critical incidents after only 20 minutes. Unmonitored cameras are only useful for forensic analysis after the fact.