On Saturday, Rhode Island police held an active shooter preparedness training at St. James Episcopal Church in North Providence. They encouraged off-duty troopers to carry concealed weapons, and recommended that a few parishioners be designated to call 911. The session was planned before the shooting in Parkland, Florida, but several people said they attended it because of that catastrophe. Joannie Collins of St. James organized the event, and it was run by Capt. Derek Borek of the State Police. More than 100 people attended the event, mostly seniors. Borek encouraged them to think about their options in advance: where could they hide, how to escape. He said to think of active shooter situations like a fire drill, and to remain calm.
Many Episcopal Churches are designated as gun free zones, as is General Convention.