By Jack Phillips, Joseph Lord
Contributing Writers
At least four people were killed and at least eight injured when a gunman opened fire inside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan and set the building ablaze, authorities said on Sunday, adding that the suspected shooter was taken down.
The shooting occurred at the church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on Sunday, authorities wrote on social media.
Four churchgoers are confirmed to have died in the Sunday attack, with police warning that they could find other victims in the burned-down building. One victim is in critical condition. Seven others are stable.
Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the bureau’s Detroit field office, said the FBI would take the lead on the case, which is being investigated as a targeted attack.
“I can confirm at this time that the FBI is now leading the investigation and is investigating this as an act of targeted violence,” Coleman told a Sunday evening press conference.
Earlier that day, Chief of Police William Renye said the suspect was identified as a 40-year-old man from Burton, Michigan, named Thomas Jacob Sanford, who died at the scene of the attack.
According to officials, the first 911 call about the attack came in at 10:25 a.m. local time. Officers were on the scene by 10:26 a.m.
“A 40-year-old suspect from Burton … drove his vehicle through the front doors of the church,” Renye told a press conference. “He then exited his vehicle, firing several rounds.”
Officers had neutralized the man by 10:33 a.m., officials said.
The police department added that reunification sites for family members had been set up onsite and offsite.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said the area had been evacuated and local and federal authorities were at the scene.
“The entire church is on fire,” Swanson told The Associated Press on Sunday. “This is a dynamic scene.”
Police believe the suspect deliberately set the building on fire.
“There’s a lot of things that are happening that we are not able to communicate just because of the work that needs to be done,” Swanson said.
Grand Blanc is a community of around 8,000 located outside Flint, Michigan, roughly 70 miles northwest of Detroit. The church, encircled by a parking lot and a large lawn, is located near residential areas and a Jehovah’s Witness hall in Grand Blanc.
Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in an X post that she was being briefed.
“I am receiving briefings about what appears to be a horrific shooting and fire at an LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan,” Bondi wrote just after noon Sunday. “[FBI] and [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] agents are en route to the scene now. Such violence at a place of worship is heartbreaking and chilling. Please join me in praying for the victims of this terrible tragedy.”
FBI Director Kash Patel condemned the violence at the church, adding that agents were on the scene investigating and that his office is monitoring the situation.
In a statement on social media, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that her “heart is breaking for the Grand Banc community” and condemned violence, “especially in a place of worship.”
The Democratic governor added that she was continuing to monitor the situation.
State Sen. Aric Nesbitt, a Republican candidate for Michigan governor, wrote on social media: “These heinous attacks on our faith and way of life can never be tolerated on American soil. My office is monitoring this situation closely and we are praying for everyone involved.”
The shooting occurred a day after Russell M. Nelson, the oldest-ever president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at 101, the church said in a statement on Saturday. The next president of the faith, known widely as the Mormon church, is expected to be Dallin H. Oaks, per church protocol. Around 2% of Americans identify as members of the church, according to Pew Research.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a religious group founded in the early 19th century, with most of its membership in the United States.
In a statement on the attack, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints described it as “a tragic act of violence.”
“In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ,” the Salt Lake City, Utah-based church said. “Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”
FBI suspects shooter hated people of the Mormon faith
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the man accused of killing at least four people and injuring eight more at a church in Michigan hated Mormons.
“From what I understand, based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note, all of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” she told Fox News in an interview on Monday.
Leavitt said that search warrants are being executed at the home of the suspect to “get to the bottom of why he would commit such an act of evil.”
Sanford’s family is cooperating with the FBI, Leavitt also said. She did not provide more details about the suspect, who was killed by police during the incident.
Sanford allegedly used gasoline to start the fire and also had explosive devices, but it wasn’t clear whether he used them, said James Dier of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Investigators were searching Sanford’s residence. Authorities did not say what they found or provide any additional details.
It was the latest of many shooting attacks on houses of worship in the U.S. over the past 20 years, including one in August that killed two children during Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in Minneapolis.
In a post on Sunday, President Donald Trump praised the FBI for its response to the Michigan shooting.
“This epidemic of violence in our country must end immediately,” Trump said.
He also said the shooting and arson on Sunday was “yet another targeted attack on Christians” and called for prayers.
The FBI said on X that anyone with information about the attack in Gland Blanc should contact the bureau.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
