Katie Hamilton, the sister of the man who shot and killed four people at a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in Grand Blanc, Michigan, said her family is “overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and support they’ve received from the Latter-day Saint community,” Fox News reported Wednesday evening.
Thomas Sanford attacked a Michigan Latter-day Saint congregation on Sunday morning, killing four and wounding a number of others.
Hamilton said in a statement, “I don’t have words right now to express when I saw what you as a community have done and remembered us as a family in this situation.”
A fundraiser set up by Latter-day Saints to support Sanford’s family has far exceeded organizers’ expectations — with nearly 15 times the funds raised than they expected.
Originally anticipating $20,000, the money to support the disabled child and widow of the shooter has now reached $285,000. The average contribution is $40, with about two-thirds of the approximately 6,700 donors staying anonymous.
Fundraisers have also exceeded goals for grieving families of three of the deceased victims: the widows of Craig Hayden, Pat Howard and John Bond. A fourth fundraiser for the surviving son and daughter of Thelma Armstrong is nearing its goal.
Other verified fundraisers continue for several injured in the shooting, including Ben Phelps and his 6-year-old son, Greg Mikat, Jeff & Marei Kubiak, Pierre Dery, Brandi Hickens, daughter Piper and her husband and two medical residents injured.
Although some have expressed reservations about the idea of fundraising for the perpetrator’s family, most responses have been overwhelmingly positive — including from national journalists and news outlets.