On Sunday, September 28, a tragic incident unfolded at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, where a 40-year-old Iraq War veteran launched a deadly attack, resulting in at least four fatalities and injuring eight others.
Thomas Sanford, a former US Marine who served during the Iraq conflict, deliberately drove his Chevrolet Silverado into the church building before opening fire on the congregation attending the Sunday service.
The pickup truck was notably adorned with two large American flags mounted behind the cab and featured a pair of deer antlers fixed to the front bumper.
Following the shooting, Sanford ignited the church, which was soon engulfed in flames and ultimately destroyed. Emergency responders are concerned that additional victims may be trapped inside the burning structure.
According to a Facebook statement from Sanford’s mother, the assailant served in Iraq between 2004 and 2008. He was fatally shot by law enforcement officers at the scene shortly after the initial emergency call was placed.
Authorities reported that a Department of Natural Resources officer and a local police officer arrived within approximately 30 seconds of the first 911 notification.
Investigations have confirmed that Sanford, a resident of nearby Burton, Michigan, acted alone in this violent assault.
While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials disclosed that improvised explosive devices were discovered on the church grounds, prompting a bomb squad to conduct a thorough examination. A similar search was carried out at Sanford’s residence.
At the time of the attack, hundreds of worshippers were gathered inside the church. Aerial footage captured a massive column of thick black smoke billowing from the building as it burned.
Social media profiles believed to belong to Sanford depict him as a family man, married with a young son. A dormant GoFundMe campaign from 2015 raised over $3,000 to support their child, who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), a rare genetic disorder causing excessive insulin production by the pancreas.
Photos shared on the family’s Facebook page show joyful moments, including the family posing in pickup trucks and standing amidst fields of blooming sunflowers.
An eyewitness recounted to Fox 2 Detroit that the attack commenced shortly after the congregation had finished singing a hymn during the 10 a.m. service, with hundreds present inside the church.
Congregants initially heard a loud crash as the truck collided with the building.
“At first, we thought it was an accident, so we went outside to offer help,” the witness explained to the local news outlet.
Paul Kirby, 38, who also rushed outside believing it was a collision, told The New York Times that he spotted the man exiting the vehicle from about 10 to 20 yards away before realizing the danger.
“He began shooting at me,” Kirby said, describing how a bullet shattered a nearby glass door and sent shards that grazed his leg.
Kirby then hurried back inside to locate his wife and two sons, and together they escaped through the rear exit, gathering as many people as possible into their car before driving away to safety.
Local resident Tony Deck told USA Today that upon passing the church after hearing emergency sirens, he observed at least four yellow tarps covering deceased victims.
0 Comments