A 40-year-old man, Thomas Jacob Sanford, attacked a Mormon church in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday. He drove through the front doors, set fire to the building, and opened fire on the congregation during a service. At least four people died, and eight others were injured. Police shot and killed Sanford shortly after the attack.
Sanford, a former US Marine from nearby Burton, served from 2004 to 2008 and reached the rank of sergeant. He earned several medals, including the Iraq Campaign Medal. Friends described him as a normal, country kid who enjoyed hunting. He married his high school sweetheart in 2016, and the couple has a 10-year-old sonw
Police responded within 30 seconds of a 911 call and engaged Sanford outside the church. Authorities have not revealed a motive. Nearby residents reported hearing gunshots and were shaken by the violence.
This shooting marks the second mass shooting in the US in less than 24 hours, following a deadly attack in North Carolina. President Trump praised the FBI’s response and called for an end to the country’s “epidemic of violence.”
