(WXYZ) — A deacon from Crosspointe Community Church in Wayne, who helped prevent a mass shooting last month, received a brand new Ford F-150 truck today from a local dealership.
Watch Brett Kast's video report:
Richard Pryor, who used his truck to stop an armed gunman from entering the church during a Vacation Bible School service on June 22, was gifted a 2025 F-150 PowerBoost on a two-year free lease from Demmer Ford.
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“I can't be more than enough thankful for everybody's support, the Lord was definitely involved in the events of that Sunday," said Pryor. "Everything that's transpired afterwards and how everybody’s reached out, Jack Demmer, Ford, it's been more than expected, so I can't be more than appreciative, just thank you to everybody.”
The heroic act occurred when a gunman armed with multiple weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition arrived at the church. Pryor, who was in his truck in the parking lot, was the first to spot the shooter.
"As soon as he got out of the vehicle, I saw the fatigues, I saw the gun on his hip, and he pulled the weapon out of his vehicle," Pryor said.
Related Video: 1 injured in shooting at Wayne church
In that moment, Pryor made a split-second decision to hit the gas on his F-150 and run over the gunman, making himself a target in the process.
"He shot a round through the truck and in those few seconds, I realized the truck was dead and I didn't have a weapon on me," Pryor said.
Armed security eventually neutralized the shooter, who continued firing at the church from the ground. Pryor's quick thinking likely saved countless lives, but his 2018 truck, which he relies on for work, was totaled in the incident.
Matthew Demmer, owner and general manager of Demmer Ford, located less than 2 miles from the church, presented Pryor with the new vehicle.
"He was incredibly grateful for it and was almost standoffish like he doesn't deserve it, which is certainly not the case," Demmer said.
“There was a lot of hurt and a lot of lives were affected by this, but just grateful for the Lord's protection and that everything went the way that it did,” said Pryor.
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