Tampa church warns: We are armed & ready to use deadly force if a shooter attacks us

17 Nov, 2017 by Sierra Marlee

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The churchgoers at River at Tampa Bay Church are taking their safety in their own hands and warning potential criminals who wish to do them harm that they are not going to be messed with.

This practically assures that they are never going to be the victims of a mass shooting that takes place at a church like what happened in Sutherland Springs, Texas and Charleston, South Carolina.

A sign – placed at the property about a year ago – issues a warning to everyone who reads it, but especially those who are thinking of doing something stupid inside the church.

“Welcome to the River at Tampa Bay Church – right of admission reserved – this is private property,” it reads.” “WARNING: Please know this is not a gun free zone – we are heavily armed – any attempt will be dealt with deadly force – yes we are a church and we will protect our people.”

It is then signed, “The Pastors.”

While the sign has been up for a while, it recently made a splash after it was posted on Instagram by Senior Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne following the Sutherland Springs Church shooting.

“It is a deterrent,” said Associate Pastor Allan Hawes. “Look at what is going on. In the past two months, look at what happened in Texas. Look at what happened in Las Vegas. Because we are a church that is on television, we are very involved in the community. We want people to know that this is a safe zone.”

What is a better way to make people feel safe than knowing that people are allowed to defend themselves if need be? And for people who don’t carry a gun, being surrounded by competent and well-trained gun owners who are dedicated to making sure everyone gets home safe at the end of day is surely a better feeling than hoping that you don’t fall prey to a copy-cat killer.

“If you walk through the door with the intention to harm, that sign serves as a deterrent to you,” Hawes continued. “We are not a soft target. People here will defend their families.”

Between this and the four unsolved homicides that are being investigated in the Seminole Heights area, it’s just better for everyone involved to be safe.

“I think just collectively, we pay very close attention,” Hawes finished. “Look at Seminole Heights. Someone is murdering people. This stuff is happening all the time. Do you wait for another shooting to take precautions?”