Michigan, Sep 29 — At least four people were killed and eight others injured on Sunday after a gunman opened fire during a service and set a church ablaze in Grand Blanc, Michigan, police said.
The attack occurred early Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located northwest of Detroit. Authorities initially reported one fatality, but by evening the death toll rose to four after two additional bodies were recovered from the debris of the burned church.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye told reporters that the suspect, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, rammed his vehicle into the church before opening fire with an assault rifle on the congregation. He then deliberately set the building on fire.
Sanford was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police who responded to the scene. Investigators are now examining his home and phone records to determine a motive behind the deadly attack.
Local authorities confirmed that the wounded — including children — were rushed to nearby hospitals. Firefighters battled the blaze as emergency teams evacuated survivors from the church. Police had earlier urged residents to stay clear of the area as the situation unfolded.
The attack drew immediate national attention. U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the violence, calling it “another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America” and stressing that the FBI was on-site assisting with the investigation. He described the shooting as “horrendous” and urged that the “epidemic of violence must end immediately.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed condolences to victims’ families, writing: “My heart is breaking for the Grand Blanc community. Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.”
The investigation into Sanford’s background and motives remains ongoing.
