“A bullet that came through our ceiling, and it penetrated our stage and missed me about two feet,” Pastor Evan Risher said.
FORT WORTH, Texas — For Pastor Evan Risher, the law of gravity became all too real during a New Year’s Eve service at Ramp Church Texas in 2018.
“We heard a sound that hit the stage,” pastor Risher said.
The sound turned out to be a bullet that came through the church’s ceiling, penetrated the stage, and missed the pastor by about two feet. It happened during their very first service at the current Ramp Church Texas location in Fort Worth. The entire incident occurred when many church leaders across the country had already beefed up security.
“During this time there was an all-time high of church shootings. To our discovery, it was a bullet that came through our ceiling, and it penetrated our stage and missed me about two feet,” Risher explained. “It almost sounded like something had popped, but it was loud enough to startle the entire crowd, and we didn’t know what was going on. Security said, ‘Pastor get down, pastor get down,’ and then all of a sudden, I’m being picked up and carried outside of the service and I’m like, hold on, what’s going on? The children, the children.”
Fortunately, no one was hurt. The congregation rejoiced when pastor Risher returned to the pulpit holding the bullet. Today, the bullet is displayed with a Bible opened to one of Risher’s favorite scriptures.
“Isaiah 54:17 says, ‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper,’” Risher said.
Law enforcement agencies across North Texas are ramping up patrols and deploying every tool possible to combat celebratory gunfire. In Arlington, police will use drones to locate gunfire and address it quickly. Their investigation that identifies shooters will result in possible prosecution.
“They are uncrewed aerial systems (Drones) that can fly to those locations. They can record, they have loudspeakers, and can address the problem quickly,” said Sergeant Alex Rosado of the Arlington Police Department.
In Texas, discharging a firearm in certain public places is considered disorderly conduct, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
“It’s just not a good way to start 2025 with a $2,000 fine,” Rosado added, also warning against shooting fireworks at midnight.
Sergeant Rosado encourages people to attend professional fireworks displays.
Pastor Risher, reflecting on his own close call, hopes people will find safer ways to celebrate.
“What goes up comes down,” Risher said.