Masked Attackers Storm Jordan Church

wooden church pews in sunlight — Photo: Maleo / Shutterstock

A man praying inside a Jordanian church says a gunman stood two steps away and fired a handgun straight at his face.

Quick Take

A survivor named al-Burqan says a gunman fired a handgun at him from about two meters away during an attack on a church in Karak Governorate, Jordan.
He first mistook the gunfire for an exploding air conditioner before realizing the church was under attack.
His son was shot in the leg and later called him from a military hospital.
The attack happened during a funeral on October 23, 2026, and early casualty counts from officials ranged between six and eight dead.

Survivor Describes Attack Unfolding In Seconds

Al-Burqan told Reuters he was inside the church when the prayer service had just begun. He first thought he heard an air conditioner explode. Then more shots rang out, and he realized gunmen had opened fire inside the building.

He said he saw two attackers, one wearing a mask and one without one. The unmasked man pointed a handgun at him and fired from roughly two meters away. The bullet passed through glass before it reached him, leaving blood on his face.

Son Wounded, Confirmed By Phone From Hospital

Al-Burqan learned his son had also been shot during the attack. His son later called him from a military hospital and told him he had been hit in the leg. That detail matches a separate transcript that identifies the son’s leg wound.

Outside reporting backs up the broader scene al-Burqan describes. ABC News reported gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, and Jordanian authorities launched an investigation. The BBC placed the attack during a funeral in Hmoud, within Karak Governorate, on Friday, October 23, 2026.

Casualty Numbers Shifted As News Broke

Official death tolls moved during the first hours after the attack. One report cited six killed and 28 wounded. Another cited seven killed and at least 34 injured. A third put the toll at eight killed and 40 injured. That kind of early confusion is common right after a fast-moving attack, as officials update figures while treating the wounded and securing the scene.

Reporting also varies on how many attackers were involved. Al-Burqan described seeing two men, while other accounts referenced three masked gunmen. It is not clear from available reporting whether he saw only part of the group or whether the number changed as the investigation moved forward.

Investigation Continues, No Named Suspect Yet

Jordanian authorities have described the attack as an extremist terrorist act, according to Reuters-linked reporting. No completed public report has been released explaining that conclusion in detail. Authorities said they were working to find or capture the gunmen, meaning no suspect has been publicly identified or charged in connection with the shooting.

A survivor of the Karak church shooting in Jordan says a gunman fired at him from just two metres away through a window. Nasser Al-Burqan escaped serious injury, but his son was shot in the leg.

Source: Reuters#Jordan #Karak pic.twitter.com/6Dy6L4Qdbg

— SG News (@SGNews123) October 24, 2026

Vatican News also reported on the shooting at the Greek Orthodox church in Karak, noting the attack drew international attention to the safety of religious gatherings in the region. As Jordanian police continue their investigation, al-Burqan’s account stands as one of the most detailed firsthand descriptions of what happened inside the church that day.