Michigan: At least four people were killed and eight others injured after a gunman rammed his vehicle into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building, opened fire on congregants, and set the church ablaze before being shot dead by police.
Authorities identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, Michigan, a Marine Corps veteran. The attack happened during a morning service attended by hundreds of worshippers in Grand Blanc, about 60 miles (100km) northwest of Detroit.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said the incident began around 10:25 a.m. local time (15:25 GMT) when Sanford drove a vehicle into the church. He then fired multiple rounds from an assault-style rifle inside the building before igniting a blaze using gasoline. Police officers engaged the attacker within minutes, fatally shooting him in the church parking lot at 10:33 a.m., just eight minutes after the rampage began.
Chief Renye confirmed that two victims died from gunshot wounds, while two others were later found dead inside the fire-damaged building. Several people remain unaccounted for. Chief Renye also praised the bravery of church members who sheltered children during the assault, describing their actions as heroic and life-saving.
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The FBI is leading the federal investigation, deploying crisis response teams, bomb technicians, and more than 100 agents to assist. Investigators are searching the suspect’s property and analysing his phone records in an effort to determine his motive. Michigan State Police also confirmed that officers responded to additional bomb threats at multiple locations, though those sites were later cleared.
US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed and described the incident as yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the shooting and fire heartbreaking and chilling, urging prayers for victims. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the violence, stressing that ‘violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.’ Former senator Mitt Romney, one of the most prominent Mormon politicians, called the attack a ‘tragedy’ and said he was praying for comfort and healing.
In a statement, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed that multiple individuals were injured and expressed prayers for peace and healing.
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