A day of tragedy and heroism at a Latter-day Saint church in Michigan

Police in Grand Blanc, Michigan, identified the man suspected in “targeted violence” that left at least four dead and wounded eight others at a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse as Thomas Jacob Sanford.

But authorities declined to speculate on a motive for the Sunday morning attack, in which the suspect shot Latter-day Saints attending worship services before setting the building on fire.

In a Sunday evening news conference, Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said two victims had died after being shot and two other victims were found dead in the church, bringing the total to four. He didn’t say how those two people died. The building was consumed by fire.

Sanford was killed in the parking lot after exchanging gunfire with officers who responded quickly to the scene, Renye said.

Authorities believe there might be more victims in the building. As of Sunday night, Renye said he didn’t know how many people are unaccounted for.

“We’re working tirelessly to find additional bodies,” he said. “We have not cleared the entire church just yet.”

Michigan State Police Lt. Kim Vetter told reporters investigators are still working to determine if anyone in the church was injured by the fire.

What’s the motive in the Michigan church shooting?

Renye, the Michigan State Police and the FBI declined to answer questions about possible motives for the deadly assault. But Rueben Coleman, acting special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Detroit, said it’s being investigated as “an act of targeted violence.”

Asked in the news conference about speculation that the shooting is connected to the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk in Utah earlier this month, Michigan State Police Lt. Kim Vetter said, “That’s exactly what it is. It’s speculation.”

Vetter also declined to say whether Sanford had any connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or its members.

While investigators haven’t identified a motive, President Donald Trump posted, in part, on Truth Social: “The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”

Investigators also searched “multiple” churches that received bomb threats Sunday, Vetter said, though other than one Catholic church, she didn’t reveal the denominations. No bombs were found, she said.

Police say Sanford rammed a Chevrolet Silverado through the front of the Latter-day Saint meetinghouse during services, began shooting and then intentionally set a fire that engulfed the building. Hundreds of men, women and children were worshipping at the time.

James Deir, special agent in charge of the ATF Detroit field division, said gasoline was used to ignite the fire. He said arson investigators found “some suspected explosive devices, but as far as using them to initiate the blaze, I can’t say that.”

Heroes inside and outside the congregation

At the press conference, Renye acknowledged the “heroism” of not only the first responders but people inside the building.

“They were shielding the children who were also present within the church, moving them to safety,” he said. “Just hundreds of people just practicing their faith, just extreme courage, brave and that’s the type of community that we are.”

Law enforcement was on scene within 30 seconds of the first 911 call at 10:25 a.m. Authorities said two officers — one from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and one from Grand Blanc Township — exchanged gunfire with the suspect, killing him eight minutes later.

Marc Curtis, an attorney with Defender of the Blue law firm in Michigan, told MLive that the conservation officer “acted without hesitation.”

“Acting to protect the congregation and prevent further loss of life, the officer engaged the suspect,” Curtis wrote in a text message exchange with MLive. “This was a tragic event, the officer acted without hesitation to safeguard innocent lives and stop this evil.”

Vetter said emergency medical services, law enforcement and the fire department responded in a “valiant way” to protect people. “Everybody did an excellent job to keep people as safe as they possibly could,” she said.

In a statement Sunday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints noted the “tragic act of violence” during Sunday worship services in Grand Blanc.

“The church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected. We offer thanks to the emergency responders who are assisting victims and families,” said church spokesman Doug Andersen.

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the world. In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ. Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”

Who is Thomas Jacob Sanford?

Sanford, 40, is from Burton, Michigan, about 8 miles north of Grand Blanc. According to news reports in Michigan, Sanford was a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and has a wife and son.

According to a 2007 Clarkston News article, Sanford is a native of Atlas Township in Genesee County, Michigan, and graduated from Goodrich High School in 2003. Grand Blanc and Burton, where Sanford lived before the shooting, are in Genesee County. He is identified as Thomas “Jake” Sanford in the story.

As a 22-year-old Marine, he was a wrecker driver who assisted in the recovery of damaged vehicles and had done a stint in Okinawa, Japan. He has achieved honors on the rifle range, according to the story. At the time the article was published, he was set to join his combat battalion and serve in Fallujah, Iraq.

‘I’m excited to go," Sanford said during a gathering at his home, per the story. “I’m looking forward to seeing the culture and the people of Iraq. I’ll return with the real news of the situation. There are many changes we are making in the Middle East. We are making progress. The citizens of Iraq are beginning to step up.”

A Marine Corps spokesperson told CNN that Sanford served as a sergeant and received several medals for his service, which lasted from 2004 to 2008.

CNN also reported that Sanford’s son was born with a rare genetic disorder, according to a 2015 GoFundMe page. The condition, called congenital hyperinsulinism, required a lengthy hospital stay and several surgeries to remove portions of the pancreas, according to a family Facebook page.

One local news outlet reported that the illness had a financial toll on the family and Sanford took leave from work as a truck driver for Coca-Cola to be with his son, per CNN.

“Don’t ever take having healthy kids for granted,” Sanford is quoted as saying in another article. “We are proud of our child. I spent four years in the Marine Corps and was in Iraq and this is still the most unique thing to deal with.”

What’s known about the shooting victims

Initial reports said that one person had died and nine were injured as a result of the gunfire.

Renye later said a second person died at a local hospital. Seven shooting victims were in stable condition, and one is in critical condition, he said in a brief 3 p.m. press conference.

But the number of dead later grew and authorities believe they might find other victims inside the building.

“There was a large fire and we do believe that there (were) people up there that were near that fire, and they were unable to get out of the church,” Renye said.

Multiple victims injured in the shooting and fire are being treated at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, a hospital spokesperson said, per NBC News.

“Our hearts go out to our patients, their families, and the community — including the people worshipping when the tragic act of violence occurred,” according to the hospital. “Our hospital is fully staffed with experienced caregivers, and we are grateful to our team members who continue to care for all our patients at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital.”

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