Man fights officers in church; vehicle discovered stocked with weapons, ammo

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) - A church calls the police when the congregation grows suspicious of a man testing security and prying about the members and staff.

On April 18th, the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department (TAPD) received a call from the security team at Faith Assembly of God, located at 2001 Arkansas Boulevard, Texarkana, in reference to a man that was acting suspiciously while attending revival services.

The security informed officers of several incidents on different nights that made church members believe the man was testing the security of the church. The man, Philip Osbon of Minden, Louisiana, was also asking several personal questions about the members and staff. Officers arrived at the church at the beginning of the service to make sure the church members felt safer. The man arrived at 7 p.m. and entered the church.

TAPD officers walked by Osbon’s vehicle and discovered an AR-style rifle sitting in plain view, alongside multiple 30-round magazines, a shotgun, a belt loaded with shotgun shells, knives, tourniquets, and other survival gear. When officers shared this information with the church they requested the man’s removal from the property.

Officers located Osbon as he was exiting the bathroom and asked to speak with him. He ignored them and walked toward the sanctuary. Officers repeated their request and they reached to grab his arm to get his attention. Osbon then turned and balled his fists up, taking a fighting stance while he backed up into the sanctuary while the church services were ongoing.

When officers attempted to remove him from the church, he began to fight with them. During the conflict, Osbon tried to remove items from one of the officer’s utility belts. He was sprayed with O.C. spray and taken into custody. During the search of his person, it was discovered he was also in possession of marijuana.

Osbon was transported and booked into the Miller County Jail and has been charged with obstructing governmental operations, resisting arrest, fleeing on foot, and possession of a controlled substance: marijuana. He was also discovered to have an active felony warrant in Colorado for obstructing justice related to an assault on a peace officer. Colorado has chosen not to extradite him.

According to TAPD, this is the second of two church-related incidents recently where a person has entered a church building asking suspicious questions about the staffing, security, and personal questions about the staff member’s families. Arrests have been made in both situations.

“We encourage our local churches, businesses, and civic organizations to be alert and aware of activities that are outside the normal for their members and daily functions. We encourage you to contact your local law enforcement if you feel unsafe or if you need to discuss a situation that may need further investigation. TAPD is happy to assist in developing a security plan for your group or facility, " says a statement released by TAPD.

Anyone with information on this subject or similar incidents is encouraged to email Cpl. L. Munn at lmunn@txkusa.org.

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