Fox5Vegas | Kyla Galer | Nov. 5, 2019
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Churches, temples, mosques — many people consider them their “safe place” or somewhere to turn for guidance.
Places of worship are now also targets.
On Thursday, the Director of Homeland Security will be at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters to work with local faith-based leaders about how to keep their congregations safe.
“They’re taking out their anger on minority groups, they’re taking out their anger on churches, some are even willing to target school children,” said Pastor Troy Martinez.
Congregations in Charleston, Sutherland Springs and Pittsburgh have experienced violence in their places of worship. Martinez said this is the new reality.
“We’re finding out that the violence that we’re seeing in other parts of the country is also being targeted for Las Vegas communities,” he said.
In September, Pastor Troy was one of 250 religious leaders nationwide invited to the White House. The Department of Homeland Security warned them extremists are targeting all places of worship.