Michigan Mormon Church Shooting Leaves 4 Dead, 8 Injured — Here’s What Happened
- Cloud 9 News
- Sep 28
- 3 min read
Grand Blanc, MI – 28 September 2025 - A horrific shooting and arson attack unfolded at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday morning, claiming at least four lives and injuring eight others during a worship service. The gunman, identified as 40-year-old Iraq War veteran Thomas Jacob Sanford, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with responding officers after ramming his truck through the church's front doors, opening fire with an assault rifle, and setting the building ablaze.
The violence erupted around 10:25 a.m. at the church located near McCandlish and Holly roads, southwest of Flint, as hundreds of congregants gathered for services. Sanford, a former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who served from 2004 to 2008—including a combat tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom—drove his four-door pickup, bearing an Iraq War veteran license plate, into the entrance before exiting and firing indiscriminately. Witnesses described chaos as he shouted slurs and doused the sanctuary with accelerant, igniting a blaze that forced evacuations and trapped some inside.
Two victims died from gunshot wounds, while the other two fatalities occurred amid the fire's devastation, with rescuers later discovering their remains in the rubble. The eight survivors, including several in critical condition from burns and bullets, were rushed to area hospitals. Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye detailed the grim toll at a 1 p.m. press conference, warning that "investigators believe more victims may still be inside the structure" and praising parishioners who barricaded doors to protect others. The fire, which gutted much of the 2012-built facility, was extinguished by early afternoon, but the chapel sustained severe damage.
Sanford, a 2003 Goodrich High School graduate and Flint-area resident, had no prior major criminal history but struggled with isolation and paranoia in recent years, according to neighbors. A "No Trespassing – Violators Will Be Shot" sign adorned his home, and photos on his mother's Facebook showed him with the attack vehicle. He specialized in military vehicle maintenance during his service at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, but details on post-traumatic stress or specific grievances remain unclear. The FBI, leading the probe with ATF support, has classified it as potential "targeted violence" driven by religious bias, scouring his online activity and residence for a manifesto or further clues.
One witness, Paul Kirby, recounted the terror: "He started shooting at me... The scaredest I’ve ever been," after a bullet shattered glass near him, sending shrapnel into his leg as he fled with his family. Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson called the scene "dynamic" in a social media video, noting swift evacuations.
President Donald Trump swiftly condemned the rampage on Truth Social, labeling it "horrendous" and "yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America." He pledged full federal backing, adding, "The F.B.I. is on the scene and will be leading the investigation. I urge everyone to pray for the victims and say that this ‘epidemic of violence’ in the country must end." Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated state resources, ordering flags at half-staff and vowing unity: "This senseless act of evil will not divide us."
The Grand Blanc stake's bishop, Elaine Allred, addressed the flock in a video: "Our community is heartbroken, but our faith in God and each other remains unshaken." The local Latter-day Saints group, numbering about 500 in this Detroit suburb of 8,000, canceled services indefinitely and set up counseling.
This tragedy compounds a grim year for mass violence, with the Gun Violence Archive reporting over 300 incidents nationwide through September. As the investigation unfolds, a stunned community grapples with loss and questions of prevention, from veteran support to house-of-worship security.
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