Deadly attack on Michigan church leaves at least four dead, several injured VIDEO

A gunman crashed his vehicle into a Michigan church on September 28, opened fire with an assault rifle, and set the building ablaze, leaving at least four people dead and eight others wounded before being killed in a shootout with police, officials confirmed.

The attacker, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, a former U.S. Marine from Burton, drove into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles northwest of Detroit. Authorities said Sanford then opened fire on parishioners and used an accelerant, believed to be gasoline, to ignite the church, which was quickly engulfed in flames, Reuters reports.

Police initially reported two fatalities and eight injuries, with victims rushed to local hospitals. Later, investigators discovered at least two additional bodies in the charred remains of the church. Officials warned that the death toll could rise, as several individuals remained unaccounted for.

“There are some that are unaccounted for,” Police Chief William Renye told reporters, adding that the building’s remains are still being searched.

🚨UPDATE: The suspect is a 40-year-old male from Burton Michigan who rammed his truck into the Church of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc then shot multiple people. He then set church on fire. Police shot him dead and Police believe victims are still inside the burnt church. pic.twitter.com/iIsNIem2tO

— Algovich (@Algovich_) September 28, 2025

Federal authorities, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are leading the investigation. ATF officials confirmed that explosives were also recovered at the scene. The FBI described the incident as “an act of targeted violence.”

Hundreds of worshippers were inside the church when the attack began. According to police, two law enforcement officers arrived within 30 seconds of the emergency call and confronted the suspect. Sanford was fatally shot in the parking lot after an eight-minute standoff.

Military records show Sanford served as a Marine between 2004 and 2008 and was deployed to Iraq. Authorities said they will examine his home and digital devices for clues to his motive.

The tragedy came less than 14 hours after another Iraq war veteran, also a 40-year-old former Marine, allegedly opened fire in Southport, North Carolina, killing three people and wounding five others. The suspect in that case, Nigel Max Edge, has been charged with murder and attempted murder. Court records revealed he had previously suffered severe combat injuries and changed his name from Sean William DeBevoise.

President Donald Trump, reacting to the Michigan shooting, said on Truth Social that the attack “appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” stressing that “THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the Mormon church, has its roots in 19th-century America and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ alongside the prophecies of its founder, Joseph Smith.

By Vugar Khalilov