MICHIGAN, United States: At least four people were killed and eight others wounded after a gunman launched a deadly assault at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. Authorities said the attacker drove a vehicle into the building during a packed service on Sunday, opened fire with an assault rifle, and then set the church ablaze before being shot dead by police.
Attack During Morning Service
Hundreds of worshippers were inside the church when the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford from Burton, rammed a pickup truck through the entrance and began shooting.
Police Chief William Renye said officers exchanged fire with the assailant and killed him within eight minutes of the first emergency call.
CNN reported that a father holding his 2-year-old daughter described the chaos as families fled, while others were trapped inside the burning building.
“One of the injured remains in critical condition while seven others are stable,” Renye confirmed, adding that the wounded were being treated at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital.
Fire and Investigation
According to James Deir, the Detroit head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, initial findings suggest the attacker used gasoline as an accelerant to set the building on fire. “The entire church has not been cleared because it’s a total loss due to the blaze,” Renye told reporters, noting that two additional bodies were later discovered inside.
Social media footage, cited by Al Jazeera, showed flames engulfing the structure as firefighters battled the inferno. Search-and-rescue teams from the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office worked through the night to comb the wreckage. Police said Sanford’s home and phone records would be examined to determine a motive, which remains unknown.
Shock and Condemnation
Survivors described harrowing escapes. A woman named Paula told local broadcaster WXYZ that she lost friends and children she taught at Sunday school. “It’s very devastating for me,” she said. Another resident told AFP her husband heard people screaming and calling for help.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned the attack, saying: “Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.” US President Donald Trump called the incident “horrendous” on Truth Social, while FBI chief Kash Patel said agents were assisting local authorities, calling the violence “a cowardly and criminal act.”
