Michigan Church Shooting Leaves Four Dead, Several Injured
A Mormon church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, became the site of a devastating attack on Sunday, leaving at least four people dead and several others wounded. Police say the assailant, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, crashed his truck into the building before opening fire with a rifle and setting the church on fire.
Authorities confirmed the attacker was killed by officers in the church parking lot minutes after the first emergency calls. Initial reports listed two fatalities, but search teams later discovered two more victims among the burned debris of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eight additional people were injured, one critically.
Images from the scene showed the building nearly destroyed by flames, with the attacker’s vehicle still lodged in its side. Local media reported that Sanford, a military veteran who grew up in the area, had displayed U.S. flags on the back of his truck.
The FBI has taken over the investigation and is treating the assault as a deliberate act of targeted violence. Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye noted that hundreds of worshippers were inside the church when the shooting began, and more victims could be uncovered as recovery efforts continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the attack as “horrendous,” calling it part of a broader national “epidemic of violence.” He warned that places of worship were increasingly vulnerable to targeted assaults and vowed stronger action to address the crisis.
The Mormon church, which confirmed the death of its longtime spiritual leader just a day earlier, described the tragedy as a heartbreaking blow to its community. “Houses of prayer should always be sanctuaries of peace,” church leaders said in a statement, urging unity and resilience.
The tragedy comes amid a string of violent incidents in the United States, including recent shootings at a Minnesota Catholic church and a Texas immigration facility. With political tensions already high, the Michigan attack is likely to intensify debate over gun violence, extremism, and national security.
