The images of the burning church are horrifying, as tragedy strikes again in the US.
A pickup truck
On Sunday, a mass shooting and arson attack occurred at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. The attacker drove a pickup truck into the church building, began shooting into the congregation, and then set the building on fire.
Eight minutes
Law enforcement officers arrived swiftly after a 911 call and engaged the shooter. He was killed in a shootout about eight minutes after the attack began.
Four worshippers killed
At least four worshippers were killed and eight others were wounded in the attack. Some reports indicate that two of the victims died at the scene, while others succumbed later in the fire-ravaged building.
The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad
Investigators believe the fire was deliberately set using gasoline or another accelerant. Explosive devices were also reported at the scene, prompting the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad to operate outside the alleged shooter’s residence.
Under speculation
As the motive for the attack remains unknown and under speculation, The suspect, later identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, age 40, was a former U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran.
His background and motives
Although the suspect has been identified, the investigation into his background and motives remains ongoing. According to reports from outlets including The Guardian and the Daily Mail, the man accused of the deadly shooting and fire at a Mormon church in Michigan is alleged to have political leanings toward Trump.
A Facebook post
The Daily Mail reported that a family photo showed him wearing a «Re-elect Trump 2020» T-shirt. The suspect also appeared in a Facebook post wearing a T-shirt with the slogan «Make Liberals Cry», according to one of the publications.
Two American flags
According to The Guardian, Google Maps images from June show a sign with Trump’s name attached to a fence beside Sanford’s home in Burton, Michigan. Sanford’s silver pickup truck, which he drove into the church, had two American flags mounted on its rear.
Kash Patel
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had spoken with FBI Director Kash Patel, who told her the suspect «hated people of the Mormon faith.»
The shooter’s motives
Leavitt noted that investigators are still examining how much planning went into the attack and whether Sanford left a note. According to Leavitt, the FBI has executed multiple search warrants at the suspect’s residence and family homes, with his relatives cooperating in the probe. She added that while many questions remain, the FBI will «get to the bottom» of the shooter’s motives. Leavitt stopped short of confirming a definitive motive, but echoed President Trump’s characterization of the rampage as an attack on Christians.
On Truth Social
On Truth Social, Trump wrote: «I have been briefed on the horrendous shooting that took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Grand Blanc, Michigan. The FBI was immediately on scene, and will be leading the Federal Investigation, and providing full support to State and Local Officials. The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America. 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!»