The Miracle Valley shootout was a confrontation between members of the Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church (CMHCC) and Cochise County law enforcement that occurred in Miracle Valley, Arizona, United States, on October 23, 1982. A variety of incidents with law enforcement in 1982 culminated when a large group of church members confronted local sheriff's deputies and state law enforcement officers attempting to serve bench warrants for the arrest of three members of the church. In the ensuing melee, two church members were killed and seven people (five law enforcement officers and two church members) were injured. One church member and one law enforcement officer died later, both deaths possibly due to injuries sustained that day.
Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church
The church was led by Pastor Frances Thomas, one of a reported 10,000 disciples of broadcasting evangelist A. A. Allen's original Miracle Valley Bible Church (MVBC). Her son, William Thomas Jr., was a bishop and the church's theoretical leader.
Thomas attempted to purchase the 2,560-acre property and its numerous buildings that were previously home to Allen's MVBC, with plans to re-establish the original church under her leadership. However, the owners at the time were prohibited from selling this property, situated on the south side of Arizona State Route 92 that bisects Miracle Valley. Therefore, Thomas instead purchased several properties for the church's use in the subdivision along the north side of the highway across from the MVBC, including a restaurant that was converted to a church sanctuary.
The church (whose congregation, clergy, and staff were entirely African American) was Pentecostal in teachings and outlook, but not affiliated with any established denomination. Specifically and controversially, Thomas stated she was a believer in faith healing only and not in doctors.
Her followers came to Miracle Valley in two distinct groups: the first (arriving between 1978 and 1979), composed of followers who lived in Mississippi, and the second (arriving in 1980), who had moved from Mississippi to Chicago.
The church was reported by sheriff's deputies to operate services almost continuously around the clock. Special assistants or watchers in the service were observed to ensure attendees did not fall asleep by striking people's heads with long poles. Children who were church members and attended local schools were observed by their teachers to be suffering from what appeared to be severe sleep-deprivation. Local residents and relatives of church members claimed she exerted a "cult-like dominance over her followers" and described church members as having "pledged their lives in cult-like devotion to Mother Thomas". The church denied this.
The local sheriff reported that Thomas referenced the Jim Jones massacre in Guyana, stating, "If you think Jonestown was a picnic, you ain't seen nothing yet" and "We already have the punch made."
In 1978, the first group of Healing Center and Church members from Mississippi began arriving in the community. During 1978 and into 1979, interactions between the existing, mostly white residents of this area of rural Cochise County and nearby community of Palominas and the entirely African-American church members from Mississippi were peaceful and friendly. However, once Pastor Thomas and the Chicago church members began to arrive starting in 1980, the previously peaceful relationships between the congregation and residents—both of whom were followers of A. A. Allen, who was an advocate of racial reconciliation—disintegrated into mutual distrust.
Following one or more minor burglaries of church-members' homes, in 1980 the church established an armed security force that patrolled church properties and local roads, and established roadblocks on the state highway. Bishop Thomas, who was in charge of these patrols, reportedly called them "Commandos for Christ" and "Soldiers for Jesus". Patrols communicated by CB radio and used code to describe people and situations.
In July 1981, sheriff's deputies attempting to arrest a church member were surrounded by a group of church members and forced to retreat. The county sheriff's department began integrated patrols with Department of Public Safety officers. The following month, a confrontation between deputies trying to make an arrest and armed church members prompted the sheriff's department to make a massive show of force. Sheriff Judd said it was intended to show "no one is above the law." By autumn, the situation was described by the sheriff as "a fight for control" with no end in sight; by the county supervisor "the best we can hope for is an uneasy truce"; by a sheriff's deputy as "we're outgunned and outmanned"; and by a local resident "it's going to end in death".
Racial tensions between church members, and other local residents and law enforcement, were evident in Miracle Valley. Residents noted this developed, not when the early group of church members arrived in 1978–79 from Mississippi, but only after Thomas and her Chicago-based followers arrived in 1980. Both church members and leaders, as well as local residents, accused the other of racism, through words, attitudes, or actions.
Thomas was reported to have a hostile approach to those who were not members of CMHCC, in particular law enforcement officials, who reported she addressed them as "white boy".
The regional commander of the Arizona Department of Public Safety stated that Sheriff Judd "asked the governor for a tank to go into the Valley to annihilate those niggers." A federal judge ruled that the sheriff's department was riddled with racism: "It seems to me that everyone in Cochise County was going to get their licks against the church one way or another." "Children at Play" signs were erected by the county, at the request of the church. On the signs were cartoon stereotypes of distinctly African-American children. The children's clothing carried the letters "A" and "N", which Thomas interpreted as referring to "asshole" and "nigger". The signs were removed. Allegations of official racism were raised during the 1984 trial, including a flier that referred to 'blacks as "porch monkeys" 'that was pinned up on a sheriff's station bulletin board.
Documented evidence was presented in court of students yelling "nigger" and "kill them" during a 1982 high school riot/melee (see below).
In June, 1982 the church filed a $75 million civil-rights lawsuit in federal court, naming eight county officials including Sheriff Judd. In June 1985 it was settled out of court by church officials and Cochise County for an undisclosed amount.
Negotiations between sheriff deputies and church leaders to effect the surrender of church members wanted for arrest were undertaken on several occasions. In one instance, the governor became directly involved. These situations arose after the deputies would try to arrest, serve warrants, or issue traffic tickets to church members who would flee into church property. Once there they would either go into hiding or church members would arrive en masse, surround, and sometimes attack the officers. At varying times church leaders intervened to either turn over the wanted persons, or they refused. At these times, under pressure from the sheriff's office and officials from the State Department of Public Safety, negotiations with church leaders were held.
In 1981 the deaths of four children of church members came to the attention of state officials. State officials said the four children, in particular six-year-old Theriel Drew who died of strangulated hernia after four days of agonized screaming, might have survived had the church members not refused to administer medical treatment, citing their belief in faith healing. Authorities tried to place other children there under state supervision. In December 1981 the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled there was sufficient reason to declare the Drew children dependants of the state to ensure their proper medical care. The decision was later overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court, citing protection of religious beliefs.