Man caught taking explosives to Indiana church, police say

A man faces felony charges after police said he took explosives into a northwest Indiana church. Matthew Schutz, age 41, was charged with attempted murder, possession of an explosive, and stalking, along with the misdemeanor of resisting law enforcement, Michigan City police said in a news release Tuesday. He was arrested while sitting inside Full Gospel Church in Michigan City, Ind., the evening of Wednesday, March 11. Police said they found several explosive devices on him at the time. They did not recover any firearms.

Schutz has pleaded not guilty, according to court records. As of Wednesday, he was in jail on a $100,000 bond. He is presumed legally innocent until proven guilty in court.

What was Schutz doing at the church? Police said they received a 911 call around 6 p.m. on March 11. The caller told officers that Schutz was headed to the church, armed with a gun and explosives, with the intention of shooting a parishioner of the church. When police arrived at the church, Schutz was sitting with parishioners inside the building. He attempted to flee when officers approached him.

After taking Schutz into custody, officers searched his home and found more explosives and the materials used to make them, according to the police statement. Police said that he had also planned to target a second person and the person’s family. Police did not say why Schutz targeted the individuals. Police averted what could have been a disaster, Officer Kevin Urbanczyk told WSBT CBS 22.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Black’s report on an active shooter who drove into a Michigan synagogue.