All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist
(formerly First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church)
1959 Sandy Lane, Fort Worth, TX
https://allpeopleschurchuu.org
Contact: Dan Sexton, Board President of All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist
info@allpeopleschurchuu.org
Content Warning – Descriptions of animal cruelty, weapons, and threats of violence
Armed Man at All Peoples Church UU
Aug. 25, 2023
On Wednesday, Aug. 23, an armed man entered All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist and made threatening statements.
The man was Roman Collins, an attendee of the church for the past few months.
“We believe this was not an attack on the church’s progressive values, but the actions of a lone disturbed individual,” said Dan Sexton, board president of All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist. “The Fort Worth Police does not consider this a hate crime.”
The incident began Wednesday morning, when a dog was found killed, in a field behind the church, next to the church’s community garden.
There was an assault rifle found lying next to the dog.
A teacher at a private school, which operates out of the facility, discovered the scene and called Fort Worth police.
Police responded quickly and found nine shell casings at the scene. One of the security cams recorded shots being fired around 3:44 a.m. The police filed the incident as an animal cruelty case.
Around 4:15 p.m., right after the school closed and the church administrator was alone in the building, he heard a person walk in the back door and slip into the library.
He went to see who had arrived.
That’s when he saw Collins standing just inside the doorway to the library. Collins was wearing a tactical vest, stuffed with ammunition, a holstered gun and a rifle lay beside him on the table.
The administrator spoke calmly to Collins, who admitted he had killed the dog and that he planned further carnage.
The administrator told Collins he had to put something in the office, then left the church through a side door and drove to a nearby church member’s house and dialed 911.
Police responded quickly and arrested Collins. The police found him waiting by the front door with a gun. He said he was waiting for people to arrive, according to the arresting officer.
Within minutes of the first 911 call, dozens of law enforcement officers descended on the scene from various departments, including Homeland Security.
The dog was later ID’d as Collins’ own dog.
Collins is in Tarrant County jail.