May 10--As about 15 members of a Detroit church studied passages at their Wednesday night Bible study, the man hired to protect them was gunned down outside.
The death of 84-year-old Joseph Lewis is a "heartbreaker," said deacon Jimmy Jones, 61, from Victory Way Assembly Church of God & Christ.
"We were in Bible study and a young man ran into the church and said, 'Your guard was shot,' " Jones said today. "They don't have no regard whether it's a church, a party store or your house. They don't have any regard. They don't have that type of fear anymore."
Detroit Police investigators say two men walked up to the church parking lot at Tireman and Vancourt at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday and confronted the 84-year-old. A struggle ensued, with one shot hitting the security guard. The two men, who ran off, are still at large, according to police.
Jones said Lewis was armed, but his gun was still in his holster as a Detroit Police officer performed CPR to try to revive him in the parking lot.
"It's pathetic," Jones said. "I don't know if he was trying to rob him or what. For them to just come up and do that, it's pathetic."
Jones, a member of the church since 1983, said they hired the security firm about three years ago due to concerns about crime. He said he was relieved Wednesday night to see seven or eight Detroit Police cars and EMS crews responded quickly.
Today, church members will be deciding whether to fence the lot or install cameras so parishioners can worship in peace.
"We're going to be looking at it today, things that will give us more security around there," he said.
They've also offered to hold services for Lewis if he does not have a church home of his own. They are waiting to hear back from Lewis' family, Jones said.
Copyright 2012 - Detroit Free Press
