On Sunday, a gunman attacked a Mormon church in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. He drove into the building, opened fire, and then set it on fire. Police say two people were killed and nine others were injured.
The attack happened at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during morning services. Hundreds were inside at the time. Police Chief William Renye said the man rammed through the front doors before stepping out with a rifle.
“We do believe we will find some additional victims once we find the area where the fire was,” Renye told reporters. The building burned for hours before firefighters put out the flames.
Authorities identified the suspect as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan. He was a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, according to a Facebook post by his mother. Sanford was killed in a shootout with police.
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Investigators later found several improvised explosive devices on the church grounds. A bomb squad was called to clear them. Officers also searched Sanford’s home while looking for a motive.
Witnesses said the impact shook the whole place before the gunfire broke out. Parents grabbed their kids and ran for the exits as smoke spread fast through the halls.
From the air, footage showed the church almost gone, with heavy black smoke pouring into the sky.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement: “Violence anywhere especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.”
President Donald Trump also posted online: “PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!” He said the FBI would send 100 agents to assist local police.
Details about Sanford’s life are also emerging. Social media linked to him shows he was married and had a son. In 2015, a GoFundMe page raised more than $3,000 for the boy, who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism. The rare genetic disorder causes the pancreas to release too much insulin, which can make blood sugar drop to dangerous levels.
Police have not said whether Sanford had ties to the Mormon church. What they have confirmed is that the attack was deliberate and that he came prepared with weapons and explosives.
The church is in a residential area, not far from a Jehovah’s Witness hall. For the town of about 40,000, the violence has left deep shock and grief.
Featured image via X screengrab
