A quiet Friday morning mass in Staten Island exploded into chaos when an unidentified man barged into Saint Ann Roman Catholic Church, sprinted toward the altar, and began screaming as stunned parishioners watched in disbelief. What happened next looked more like a bar fight than a church service.
Police were called immediately. The man refused to cooperate. Officers tried to calm him. He responded by swinging.
Witness video captured the surreal moments as the man and police exchanged punches at the foot of the altar. Flowers flew. The altar was damaged. Parishioners gasped as the yelling echoed through the sanctuary.
“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen inside a church,” said one worshipper who asked not to be named. “People didn’t know whether to run or pray.”
Two officers suffered minor injuries before the struggling man was finally tased and brought to the ground. He was handcuffed and later hospitalized for evaluation. Police say he is not a member of the congregation. His name has not been released, and charges are still pending. Investigators have not shared a motive.
The following afternoon, parishioners packed the pews, still shaken. Rev. Steve Challman addressed the congregation briefly but emotionally.
“We’ve had a difficult couple of days here at St. Ann’s,” he said. “But we stand together. And we pray for everyone involved, including the officers who came to protect us.”
Challman ended his remarks by thanking the NYPD. “They are here with us tonight, as they are every day, keeping our community safe,” he said.
The incident comes during a troubling rise in attacks and disruptions at houses of worship nationwide. A report from the Family Research Council last year documented more than 400 hostile acts against U.S. churches in 2024, spanning 43 states. Vandalism, threats, attempted arson, and violent disruptions all surged.
Researchers noted that motives are often unclear but warned the trend reflects deeper cultural shifts. “The rise in crimes against churches is taking place in a context in which fewer Americans are attending religious services or identifying with a specific faith,” the report stated.
For Saint Ann’s, the weekend ended quietly. But parishioners say the memory of the fight on the altar won’t fade quickly.
“It felt like the world outside pushed its way into the sanctuary,” said another parishioner. “I hope it never happens again.”
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With the spread of the progressive/socialist mentality across our nation, it’ll become progressively worse as time goes on. They view most all traditional religions as an obstetrical to their one world government objectives.