Southaven church responds to threat of violence

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (Special) — Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, a member of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, cancelled all in-person events June 15 after a man was arrested on church property in connection with a telephone threat to “shoot up” the church.

Southaven Police said Quincy A. Higgins was arrested on one of the church’s two campuses in the city and charged with making a terroristic threat. He also has an outstanding warrant for contempt of court, police said. No further details were released.

According to WMC-TV in Memphis, Brown Pastor Barthlomew Orr said, “All BMBC staff, volunteers, students and other personnel are safe and were never in danger.”

The church issued a statement that reported, “We take every threat made against our church very seriously for the safety and protection of our visitors and members. As a result of this most recent threat, we are receiving surveillance support from Southaven Police and our internal security team. Every church, business and organization is forced to remain vigilant against the violence taking place across our nation, even in places once considered safe havens.”