On Sept. 29, A Mormon church located in Michigan was shot and targeted by a gunman named Thomas Jacob Sanford.
On that Sunday morning, Sanford drove his truck into the Grand Blanc church building and began to open fire on attending churchgoers. Four churchgoers were shot and killed, and eight other attendees were injured.
Sanford set fire to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
The FBI is now leading the ongoing investigation, according to ABC News: “The FBI is now leading the investigation, calling the attack an ‘act of targeted violence.”
Investigators say Sandford used gasoline as an accelerant to burn the building; the fire caused irreversible damage to the Latter-day Saint church. Officials are stating that what used to be a church is now a “total loss,” as police pick and comb through debris.
President Donald Trump posted on social media, “The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do. In the meantime, PRAY for the victims and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump stated.
Vice President JD Vance also stated, “Just an awful situation in Michigan. The FBI is on the scene, and the entire administration is monitoring things. Say a prayer for the victims and first responders,” Vance wrote.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer tweeted on platform X, formerly known as Twitter, “Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable,” she said. “I am grateful to the first responders who took action quickly. We will continue to monitor this situation and hold the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc closed.”
The gunmen were shot and killed at the scene in a shootout involving the police. According to ABC, “No motive has yet been identified in the deadly shooting and fire on Sunday.”
A childhood friend of Sanford has spoken out and told reporters, “After a stunt in Utah, he dated a Mormon woman and considered converting.”
Sandord’s childhood best friend, Peter Tersigni, also disclosed that Sanford was on heavy drugs when he lived in Utah, and that was the time he was around Mormons.
Peter Tersigni’s twin brother, Francis Tersigni, stated to ABC News, “I believe that if Jake never went to Utah, none of this would have ever happened. 1000 percent.”
The brothers eventually reached out to Stanford. They described that whenever they would spend time together with Sanford, Sanford would rant about Mormons, but never disclose any hatred for the Church itself.
Sanford served four years in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 and progressively made it to sergeant while serving.
He was also the father of a child who suffered from severe medical conditions since birth, according to family members on Facebook.
Sandford had prior criminal offenses, according to ABC News: “He had prior arrests for burglary and operating while intoxicated, authorities said at a press briefing Monday, though did not go into detail.”
Sanford’s father released a statement to Detroit ABC affiliate WXYZ on Monday, saying, “I feel so bad about the families that were affected by this, aside from ours.”
“We’re not the only ones going through this devastation,” he told the station. “We are beside ourselves.”