A tragic incident unfolded at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, when a man drove his truck into the building and opened fire on the congregation during a Sunday service. The assailant, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, a former US Marine and Iraq War veteran, killed at least four people and injured eight others.
Sanford’s vehicle, a Chevy Silverado, was adorned with two large American flags and a set of deer antlers on the bumper. After crashing into the church, Sanford began shooting at the worshippers. He also set the church on fire, causing the entire structure to burn down. Authorities fear there may be additional victims in the fire.
Sanford’s mother confirmed via a Facebook post that her son had served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008. Sanford was killed in a shootout with police at the scene, mere minutes after the first 911 call was made. A Department of Natural Resources officer and a local township cop responded to the scene within about 30 seconds, according to authorities.
Authorities later confirmed that Sanford, a resident of nearby Burton, Michigan, was the sole suspect in the attack. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but authorities reportedly found improvised explosive devices on the church property. A bomb squad was also dispatched to Sanford’s residence for further investigation.
At the time of the attack, hundreds of worshippers were inside the church. Aerial footage showed a massive plume of black smoke rising from the burning structure. Social media accounts believed to be Sanford’s depict him as a family man with a wife and young son.
A GoFundMe page from 2015, now inactive, had raised over $3,000 for Sanford’s son, who was born with a rare genetic condition called congenital hyperinsulinism. Photos from the Sanford family’s Facebook page show them smiling and posing in various settings.
Witnesses reported that the attack began just after the congregational hymn during the 10 a.m. service. Initially, some churchgoers thought the crash was an accident and rushed out to help. One witness, Paul Kirby, recounted how he realized the true nature of the situation when Sanford began shooting at him.
Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire. They are also exploring whether there is any connection between the mass shooting and the recent death of Russel M. Nelson, the longtime national LDS church president, who passed away in Salt Lake City at the age of 101.