TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

WHITE SETTLEMENT—A man taken into custody last last month in White Settlement, Texas had explosives, firearms, and ammunition in his van and reportedly told authorities he planned to attack a local church, according to details obtained by The Dallas Morning News.

A press release from the The White Settlement Police Department says officers were alerted to a suspicious vehicle early in the morning of November 26, 2024. Officers responded to a neighbourhood where they found a white passenger van with a man sitting in the driver’s seat.

Police noted the man had a handgun in his lap and appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Officers engaged him in conversation and, during a moment when he was not holding the weapon, safely detained him.

Upon inspecting the vehicle, officers spotted two devices they suspected were improvised explosives. Additional firearms, including a rifle and an AR-style pistol, were also found inside the van.

Law enforcement agencies quickly secured the area, with support from the Fort Worth Police and Fire Departments and the Fort Worth Fire Department Bomb Squad. The devices were confirmed to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and were safely removed.

Federal agencies, including the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, have joined the investigation. Authorities are now examining the suspect’s motives and potential targets, with federal or state charges likely to follow.

The suspect was taken to a medical facility and remains in custody as police and federal agents pursue search warrants and continue their inquiries.

The White Settlement Fire Department also assisted at the scene, and the neighbourhood perimeter has since been lifted. Officials have assured the public that there is no ongoing threat in the area.

Police are working to determine why the man was parked in the neighbourhood and to uncover more details about the planned attack.