Michigan, Sept 29-- At least four people were killed and several others wounded after a gunman drove into a Michigan church, opened fire, and set portions of it ablaze, law enforcement told the BBC.
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The attack struck the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, about 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Detroit, during Sunday services attended by hundreds, the BBC reported.
Police identified the shooter as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan, and said he was shot dead by officers in the church parking lot. Officials are treating the rampage as a “targeted act of violence,” but the motive remains unclear, the BBC added.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye told the BBC that two victims died from gunshot wounds and that the fire severely damaged portions of the structure, with some worshippers still missing. He said that around 10:25 local time (15:25 GMT), the suspect drove a vehicle into the building and opened fire with what he described as an “assault-style rifle.” Responding officers engaged and killed the attacker eight minutes later, Renye told the BBC.
Chief Renye told the BBC that investigators believe the blaze was deliberately set by the suspect but are still determining exactly how it started. He praised churchgoers who sheltered children during the chaos, the BBC reported.
The BBC said investigators are examining Sanford’s property and phone records to determine a motive. The FBI is leading the investigation and has deployed crisis response teams and bomb technicians, Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the Detroit field office, told the BBC. Michigan State Police spokeswoman Kim Vetter told the BBC that officers had also cleared multiple bomb threats at other locations.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confirmed the attack in a statement cited by the BBC, saying “multiple individuals were injured” and calling for “peace and healing for all involved.” About 100 FBI agents are assisting with the investigation, Grand Blanc police told the BBC.
Former President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the shooting and confirmed the FBI would lead the federal probe, the BBC reported. Writing on Truth Social, he called it “yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the violence “heartbreaking and chilling” in a post on X, while Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said such violence, especially in a place of worship, was “unacceptable,” the BBC said. Former U.S. Senator Mitt Romney called the shooting a “tragedy” and said he was praying for healing, the BBC reported.
