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4 dead, 8 injured in Michigan church shooting and fire set by gunman: Police

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https://abcnews.go.com/US/multiple-people-shot-michigan-church-
police/story?id=126015196

A gunman drove his truck into a Michigan church where hundreds were 
worshiping on Sunday morning, shooting congregants before setting the 
building on fire, officials said.

At least four people were killed and eight others were injured in the 
shooting and fire, according to police. The gunman was then killed in a 
shootout with responding police.

The FBI is now leading the investigation, calling the attack an "act of 
targeted violence."

The mass shooting comes amid a rash of violence against churches and other 
religious institutions and amid a series of politically motivated 
shootings. It also comes after a mass shooting at a waterfront bar in 
North Carolina left three people killed late Saturday night.

The shooting on Sunday morning was at The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

The fire set in the aftermath of the shooting grew to a five-alarm blaze 
that caused a partial collapse of the structure, according to law 
enforcement officials. James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF 
Detroit Field Division, said during a press conference Sunday night that 
the gunman used gasoline as an accelerant to burn the building.

Officials said that the chapel is a "total loss" as investigators work to 
comb through the rubble.

Michigan State Police said that after the shooting, they responded to 
several bomb threats at other locations in the area -- some of them 
churches.

Officials confirmed that of those shot, one victim died at the scene, 
another later died at the hospital and two more individuals were found 
dead at the scene due to the fire. Eight others remain hospitalized, seven 
are in stable condition and one is in critical condition.

The gunman was identified by police as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford.

The church was deliberately set on fire by the suspect, who officials said 
is from Burton, Michigan, about 8 miles north of Grand Blanc.

"We do believe we will find additional victims once we have that scene 
secured," Renye said.

The attack unfolded at 10:25 a.m. and "hundreds of people" were attending 
the service, according to Renye.

"He ran the vehicle through the front door, exited and started firing 
shots," Renye said of the suspect, adding that it remains unclear what 
connection, if any, the suspect had to the church.

A source briefed on the investigation told ABC News that detectives are 
urgently working to determine the motive behind the shooting. 
Investigators are working to learn whether the church had been the target 
of threats in recent months and looking to see whether the timing could be 
connected to the death on Saturday of Russell M. Nelson, president of The 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was 101 years old.

Nelson died at his home in Salt Lake City, church spokesperson Candice 
Madsen said in a statement.

President Donald Trump said he's been briefed on the shooting and fire, 
writing Sunday on social media, "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!" Trump said.

Trump also wrote that the FBI is leading the investigation efforts. Trump 
said that while the suspect is dead, there is "still a lot to learn."

Vice President JD Vance posted his own statement on social media, calling 
the shooting and fire at an LDS church "awful." He said the "entire" Trump 
administration is monitoring the incident.

"Just an awful situation in Michigan. FBI is on the scene and the entire 
administration is monitoring things. Say a prayer for the victims and 
first responders," Vance wrote.

Shortly after the shooting, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on 
X, "I am receiving briefings about what appears to be a horrific shooting 
and fire at an LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. @FBI and @ATFHQ agents 
are en route to the scene now. Such violence at a place of worship is 
heartbreaking and chilling. Please join me in praying for the victims of 
this terrible tragedy."

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said her "heart is breaking for the Grand 
Blanc community" in a statement on X.

"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 the Grand Blanc close."

Renye said during Sunday's news conference that the FBI has assigned more 
than 100 agents to help in the investigation.

"Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our 
prayers are with the victims and their families during this terrible 
tragedy," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spokesperson Doug Anderson 
issued a statement confirming that the gunman opened fire on the 
congregation during Sunday worship services.

"The Church is in communication with local law enforcement as the 
investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of 
those affected," Anderson said. "We offer thanks to the emergency 
responders who are assisting victims and families. We are deeply grateful 
for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the 
world. In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort 
through our faith in Jesus Christ. Places of worship are meant to be 
sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and 
healing for all involved."

For years, law enforcement and homeland security experts have been warning 
that religious institutions across the board are being targeted for acts 
of violence.

"We can all agree that our houses of worship should be safe places for 
people to exercise their freedom of religion but right now we are 
increasingly seeing them being targets for violence -- and not just 
attacks on any one faith," Michael Masters, who oversees security 
operations for the main U.S. network of Jewish schools and synagogues, 
told ABC News. "Attacks against religious institutions are attacks against 
our democracy as a whole."

Masters said there has been an increase in targeted attacks across the 
faith-based community over the past several years.

"This is something we’ve been working to prepare for in the Jewish 
community for many years. In the current threat environment, the offenders 
are often not distinguishing. There’s the Jewish community, the Sikh 
community, the Annunciation church and now the LDS church in Michigan," he 
said.


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.

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4 dead, 8 injured in Michigan church shooting and fire set by gunman: Police "Leroy N. Soetoro" <leroysoetoro@americans-first.com> - 2025-09-29 21:57 +0000
  Re: 4 dead, 8 injured in Michigan church shooting and fire set by gunman: Police Prince <x@y.com> - 2025-09-29 22:22 +0000

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