A horrifying attack shook Michigan on Sunday when a former U.S. Marine drove into a church, opened fire with an assault rifle, and set the building on fire, killing at least four people and wounding eight others before being shot dead by police.
The incident unfolded at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles northwest of Detroit. Police identified the shooter as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, a Marine veteran from Burton.
Sanford crashed his vehicle into the church doors, stormed inside with a rifle, and allegedly used gasoline to ignite flames. Hundreds of worshippers were present when chaos erupted.
Authorities confirmed that two victims died immediately, while eight were rushed to hospitals. Hours later, police discovered at least two more bodies in the charred remains of the church.
“There are some that are unaccounted for,” Police Chief William Renye said at a press briefing, noting that the search continues.
Rapid police response
Two officers arrived within 30 seconds of the first emergency calls. They engaged Sanford in a gunfight and fatally shot him in the parking lot roughly eight minutes after the rampage began.
Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed explosives were recovered, while the FBI is treating the case as an act of “targeted violence.”
Military records show Sanford served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 and was deployed to Iraq. Investigators are now examining his home and phone for potential motives.
Witness accounts
Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror. Paula, a church member, told WXYZ: “I lost friends in there and some of my little primary children that I teach on Sundays were hurt. It’s very devastating for me.”
Another witness recalled hearing a “big bang” as the doors were blown open.
National and political response
Former U.S. President Donald Trump called the shooting “another targeted attack on Christians” and demanded an immediate end to what he described as an “epidemic of violence.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often known as the Mormon Church, said it was deeply saddened by the tragedy.
The Michigan massacre marked the 324th mass shooting in the U.S. in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
It came just hours after two other mass shootings: one at a North Carolina waterfront bar, where three people were killed, and another at a casino in Eagle Pass, Texas, where at least two died.
