Thomas Jacob Sanford’s father has spoken out after police said his son killed four people and injured eight in a shooting at a Michigan church.
Sanford rammed his truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township Sunday morning and fired at hundreds of worshippers, police said. Sanford, a former Marine who was deployed to Iraq in 2007, also set fire to the building before police killed him in a parking lot behind the church, according to authorities.
"I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under," the suspect’s father, Thomas Sanford, told the Detroit Free Press. "I apologize for that."
City council candidate Kris Johns in nearby Burton, Michigan, says the suspected gunman described the church’s members as “the antichrist” when they spoke last week, the Detroit Free Press reports. Police have yet to confirm Sanford’s motive.
Hospital officials confirmed Monday that they treated eight victims, ages six to 78. Five people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds, while three were treated for smoke inhalation. Two of those treated for smoke inhalation have been discharged.
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Michigan church shooting latest: Key points
- Police give status update on victims injured in Michigan church shooting
- Michigan church shooting suspect went on anti-LDS rant in days leading up to shooting: report
- Karoline Leavitt says shooter 'hated people of the Mormon faith' as authorities probe motive
- Video: Michigan church burns after gunman rams car into building and opens fire on congregants
- ‘Yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States,’ says Trump
Michigan church shooting: What we know...so far
02:39
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Rachel Dobkin
- Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, is accused of ramming his pickup truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, Sunday morning and then opening fire at hundreds of worshippers before setting the place on fire.
- Five people died, including Sanford, and eight more were injured in the attack, according to authorities. Police say they killed the suspected shooter in a parking lot behind the church.
- Sanford’s father, Thomas Sanford, told the Detroit Free Press, "I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under.”
- City council candidate Kris Johns in nearby Burton, said the suspected shooter described the church’s members as “the antichrist” when they spoke last week, the Detroit Free Press reports.
- A motive for the shooting has yet to be made public.
Man who attacked Michigan church became 'unhinged' when talking about Mormon faith
05:00
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Rachel Dobkin
The man who shot up a Michigan church and set a fire that killed four people was a former U.S. Marine who expressed animosity about the Mormon faith to a city council candidate knocking on doors just days before the attack.
Thomas Sanford, who was known as Jake, drove a pickup truck with a deer skull and antlers strapped to the front and two large American flags flapping in the wind in the bed, according to friends and social media posts.
Sanford, 40, smashed that truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc Township, according to authorities. He was killed by police officers who rushed to the scene Sunday, 60 miles northwest of Detroit. The building was destroyed.
Kris Johns, a council candidate in Burton, said he met Sanford while introducing himself to voters last week. He told MLive.com that Sanford was pleasant but became “unhinged” when he suddenly began talking about the Mormon church, as it is widely known.
Read more from Ed White:
Watch: Police provide update on Michigan church shooting
04:45
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Rachel Dobkin
People who knew Michigan church shooting suspect said he seemed 'normal' and 'like a nice guy'
04:30
,
Rachel Dobkin
People who knew Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man accused of opening fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, said he seemed “normal” and “like a nice guy.”
“He was happy to see me. He just seemed normal,” Ryan Lopez, Sanford’s former high school classmate who last saw the suspected shooter at a gym a few weeks ago, told The New York Times.
Randy Thronson, Sanford’s neighbor, told the NYT he hadn’t talked to the suspected shooter in roughly two years, but he “seemed like a nice guy.”
“Something must have happened, snapped somehow,” he said.
‘All about his family’: Stunned ice fishing buddies of Michigan church shooter left in disbelief
03:30
,
Rachel Dobkin
After Thomas Jacob Sanford rammed his pickup into the front doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, he allegedly aimed an assault-style rifle at the worshippers inside, killing four people and wounding eight others.
A Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, Sanford, 40, then set fire to the structure, according to authorities. As terrified parishioners tried to escape the blaze, Sanford was killed at the scene by police.
Retiree Lori Farmer, who lives nearby with husband Ron, told The Independent that she was “shocked” when she heard Sanford identified as the shooter. Farmer and her husband, who worked with Sanford, are “still reeling,” she said.
“He was a good guy,” Farmer said. “All about his family.”
Sanford, who met her husband while driving a truck for Coca-Cola, had gone ice fishing with the couple, and once helped them remove a big spruce tree from their property, according to Farmer. Sanford and his wife, who was part of the LDS church, had a son with special needs; Sanford reportedly had gotten his tattoos removed so he could participate in LDS ceremonies.
Read more from Justin Rohrlich:
Michigan lawmakers send bipartisan message about the shooting: 'Don't believe every theory you read on social media'
03:00
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Rachel Dobkin
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, and Republican state Representative Mike Mueller came together to share a message in the wake of Sunday’s shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.
“Take a breath. Don't believe every theory you read on social media,” Slotkin said.
Mueller added, “Wait for the FBI to do their investigation. They’ll find the motive, and let’s heal as a community.”
Take a breath. Don't believe every theory you read on social media. What the Grand Blanc community needs more than anything is for all of us to rise above.
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) September 29, 2025
That's the message state Rep. Mike Mueller (R-Linden) and I wanted to convey today when we visited with local leaders. pic.twitter.com/1KXmvubkp2
Michigan governor says 'everyone deserves the freedom to pray' after Grand Blanc meeting
02:30
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Rachel Dobkin
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has said “everyone deserves the freedom to pray” after meeting with officials in Grand Blanc Township, following Sunday’s shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I met with first responders and local officials in Grand Blanc today after yesterday's horrific attack at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) September 29, 2025
We are grateful for the actions of a local police officer and conservation officer whose bravery saved lives. pic.twitter.com/fi5eRuQIvd
Senator says Michigan church 'burnt down to the bricks'
02:00
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Rachel Dobkin
Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who visited the site of Sunday’s shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, said the Church was “burnt down to the bricks.”
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, is accused of ramming his pickup truck into the front doors of the church and opening dire on worshippers inside before setting fire to the structure.
Police killed Sanford in a parking lot behind the church. At least four people were killed and eight were injured in the attack.
Slotkin said on CNN Monday night, “The church is basically gone...It’s just burnt down to the bricks.”
“The unimaginable terror that went on in that place of worship during a church service, it’s just hard to take in,” the senator added.
Alleged mom of Michigan church shooter posted eerie message days before attack criticizing person ‘avoiding accountability’
01:30
,
Rachel Dobkin
Two days before the massacre at a Mormon church in Michigan, the mother of suspected shooter Thomas Jacob Sanford made a cryptic post on Facebook about someone in her life who refused to take "accountability" and who always "twists everything.”
That is according to reports from The New York Post and The Daily Mail, which identified the now-deleted Facebook profile as belonging to Sanford's mother, Brenda.
It's not clear who her post was referring to, and the words were not originally hers. Instead, they seem to have been part of a copy-pasted meme that has been circulating on social media since at least August.
Police have named Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, as the man who killed four people and injured at least eight others in an attack on a Mormon Church in Grand Blanc, Michigan on Sunday morning.
"People lack accountability, then say, 'you could’ve talked to me.' No, I couldn’t. Because talking to you isn’t really a conversation," the post read in part.
Read more from Io Dodds:
In pictures: Michigan residents hold prayer vigil following shooting
01:00
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Katie Hawkinson
What do we know about the suspected gunman's military service?
Tuesday 30 September 2025 00:30
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Katie Hawkinson
Suspected gunman Thomas Jacob Sanford served as a U.S. Marine from 2004 to 2008, and was deployed to Iraq in 2007.
His father told the Detroit Free Press that he “loved the United States.”
"He came back. I'm glad he came back in one piece," Sanford’s father said. "He was in logistics. He drove a wrecker and went out and picked up vehicles. One time, he was under fire but most of the time he was fine."
ICYMI: ATF brings in National Response Team
Tuesday 30 September 2025 00:00
,
Katie Hawkinson
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has brought in its National Response Team to investigate Sunday’s shooting, law enforcement officials said at a Monday afternoon press conference.
“This is a cadre of world-renowned investigators for arson and explosive incidents,” ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir said. “They have been used all over the world, and they come from places as far as California, Hawaii, and they're here in Michigan now.”
The suspected shooter set fire to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township on Sunday. Officials said investigators also recovered improvised explosive devices.
ICYMI: Doctors provide status update on Michigan church shooting victims
Monday 29 September 2025 23:30
,
Katie Hawkinson
Hospital officials provided an update on the eight people, ages 6 to 78, they treated in the wake of the Michigan church shooting.
Five of the victims were treated for gunshot wounds, while the other three were treated for smoke inhalation. Here’s what we know about the victims’ status, according to a statement from hospital officials on Monday afternoon:
- One patient died in the emergency department.
- Doctors stabilized a child before transferring them to another hospital.
- One smoke inhalation patient remains intubated, while the other two have been discharged.
- One victim is in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.
- One victim who was shot in the abdomen is in “critical condition, still, mostly stable,” according to officials.
- One man was brought in with a gunshot to the leg.
Watch more updates from law enforcement below:
Read Trump's full comments on the Michigan church shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 23:00
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Katie Hawkinson
President Donald Trump issued a statement on Sunday afternoon, decrying the shooting at a Michigan church that left four people dead and eight injured.
“This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” he wrote.
Read his full Truth Social statement below:
Suspected shooter's family asks for privacy in wake of shooting: 'We have no answers'
Monday 29 September 2025 22:30
,
Katie Hawkinson
The family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man accused of killing four people and injuring eight in a shooting at a Michigan church on Sunday, told NBC News in a statement that they have no explanation for the 40-year-old’s actions.
"We are completely in shock over this; we have no answers," the statement said. "We are asking for privacy as we grieve our loss and those of the others."
Full story: Michigan church shooting suspect went on anti-LDS rant in days leading up to shooting, local political candidate says
Monday 29 September 2025 22:15
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Katie Hawkinson
The man accused of killing four people at a Michigan church on Sunday went on a rant describing Latter-day Saints as “the antichrist” just days before the shooting, a local political candidate claims.
Read the full story below:
Local official reacts to shooting: 'We are heartbroken'
Monday 29 September 2025 21:46
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Katie Hawkinson
Grand Blanc Township Supervisor Scott Bennett told the Detroit Free Press he’s heartbroken following Sunday’s shooting, which left four victims dead.
"This kind of violence doesn't happen in our community," Bennett said. "We are heartbroken that it came to Grand Blanc Township."
Bennett says he plans to “do everything we can to support families, the victims and our community getting through this situation, something that no community ever wants to have."
Suspected gunman's father speaks out
Monday 29 September 2025 21:27
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Katie Hawkinson
Thomas Sanford, the father of the suspected Michigan church gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, has spoken out in the wake of Sunday’s fatal shooting.
He spoke to the Detroit Free Press on Monday, just one day after police said his son opened fire at a Grand Blanc Township church, killing four people and injuring eight.
"I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under," he said. "I apologize for that."
The suspected gunman was killed at the scene by police.
Sanford said his son was devoted to his family and his country. He noted his son’s military service, which spanned from 2004 to 2008. He was deployed to Iraq in 2007.
"He came back. I'm glad he came back in one piece," he said. "He was in logistics. He drove a wrecker and went out and picked up vehicles. One time, he was under fire but most of the time he was fine."
"He loved the United States; he loved his family," he added. "He was a good man. He was a family man."
He also didn’t speculate on his son’s motive.
"The only thing I can say is that it was my son that did it," he said. "As far as why? Irrelevant. It happened. We're dealing with it. It's been a nightmare."
Watch: Karoline Leavitt says Michigan church shooter 'hated people of the Mormon faith'
Monday 29 September 2025 21:10
,
Katie Hawkinson
Iraq war veteran who opened fire on hundreds of Mormon worshippers pictured in Donald Trump shirt
Monday 29 September 2025 20:40
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Katie Hawkinson
Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man accused of killing four people at a Michigan church, was seen wearing a pro-Donald Trump shirt with the slogan “Make Liberals Cry Again” on social media.
Andrea Cavallier, Isabel Keane and Paul Farrell have the story:
Watch: Police provide update on victims in Michigan church shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 20:20
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Katie Hawkinson
Watch the latest update from police below:
Local political candidate says suspected gunman called Latter-day Saints 'the antichrist'
Monday 29 September 2025 19:58
,
Katie Hawkinson
Kris Johns, a city council candidate in Burton, Michigan, says suspected gunman Thomas Jacob Sanford ranted that Latter-day Saints are “the antichrist” just days before Sunday’s shooting, The Detroit Free Press reports.
Johns said he spoke with Sanford while canvassing less than a week before the shooting. He described the 40-year-old as “extremely friendly” and said he did not seem violent.
Investigators recovered explosives in connection with shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 19:30
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Katie Hawkinson
Police recovered “improvised explosive devices” during their investigation into Sunday’s shooting at the Grand Blanc Township Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has brought in its National Response Team to investigate the shooting and explosives, law enforcement officials noted.
Full story: Karoline Leavitt claims Michigan church shooter ‘hated people of the Mormon faith’
Monday 29 September 2025 19:00
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Katie Hawkinson
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said investigators believe the man accused of fatally shooting four people at a Michigan church “hated people of the Mormon faith.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials have declined to comment on the shooter’s motive.
Read more:
Motive still unclear after law enforcement give updates
Monday 29 September 2025 18:32
,
Katie Hawkinson
Police declined to provide additional details on the motive of suspected gunman Thomas Jacob Sanford when pressed at a Monday afternoon press conference.
The response came after a reporter asked investigators to elaborate on why they described the shooting as a “targeted” attack.
“When I say targeted violence, I mean targeted within our state and within our community,” a law enforcement official said.
What do we know about the Michigan church shooting victims?
Monday 29 September 2025 18:18
,
Katie Hawkinson
Hospital officials provided an update on the eight people, ages 6 to 78, they treated in the wake of Sunday’s shooting.
Five of the victims were treated for gunshot wounds, while the other three were treated for smoke inhalation. Here’s what we know about the victims, according to hospital officials:
- One patient died in the emergency department.
- Doctors stabilized a child before transferring them to another hospital.
- One smoke inhalation patient remains intubated, while the other two have been discharged.
- One victim is in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.
- One victim who was shot in the abdomen is in “critical condition, still, mostly stable,” according to officials.
- One man was brought in with a gunshot to the leg.
21-year-old in custody after he drove through barricade near church, police said
Monday 29 September 2025 17:52
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Katie Hawkinson
A 21-year-old man is in custody after he drove through a barricade near the scene of the shooting on Monday afternoon, police said.
Reports indicated he drove a red car through the barricade late Monday morning.
Five people killed in shooting, eight injured
Monday 29 September 2025 17:49
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Katie Hawkinson
Five people were killed and eight were injured at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, police said on Monday afternoon.
The death toll includes the suspected gunman, who was killed at the scene, police said.
ATF brings in National Response Team
Monday 29 September 2025 17:44
,
Katie Hawkinson
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has brought in its National Response Team to investigate Sunday’s shooting, law enforcement officials said at a Monday afternoon press conference.
“This is a cadre of world-renowned investigators for arson and explosive incidents,” ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir said. “They have been used all over the world, and they come from places as far as California, Hawaii, and they're here in Michigan now.”
The suspected shooter set fire to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday. Police also found suspected explosives linked to the shooting.
Michigan governor says she's heartbroken over shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 17:38
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Katie Hawkinson
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed heartbreak following the shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
“I'm here as the governor, but I'm also here as a fellow Michigander whose heart is breaking by another mass shooting in a place that is supposed to be defined by togetherness, in a close-knit community here in Grand Blanc,” Whitmer said at a Monday afternoon press conference.
Whitmer has ordered that flags be lowered to half-mast statewide. The governor also said she spoke with President Donald Trump, who has offered his condolences.
Watch: Sheriff shares update the morning after a gunman opened fire at a Michigan church, killing four and injuring eight
Monday 29 September 2025 17:17
,
Katie Hawkinson
Man drives car through barricade near scene of shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 16:46
,
Katie Hawkinson
A man in a red car slammed his vehicle through a barricade near the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Monday afternoon, CNN reports.
The driver was then put into a police officer’s car. His identity and motive aren’t yet clear.
Michigan senator provides update following church shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 16:40
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Katie Hawkinson
Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, told reporters yesterday’s shooting was “abhorrent to any good human being,” according to NBC News.
Slotkin made the remarks on Monday morning following a multi-agency meeting about yesterday’s shooting. The local police department and federal officials will provide more updates at 12:30 p.m. today.
"It doesn't matter what party you're from," Slotkin said. "This kind of thing just chills you to the bone. We have a crisis going on.”
Karoline Leavitt says shooter 'hated people of the Mormon faith' as authorities probe motive
Monday 29 September 2025 16:16
,
Katie Hawkinson
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that investigators believe the suspected gunman “hated people of the Mormon faith.”
“From what I understand, based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is that this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith,” Leavitt said on Monday.
The suspected shooter, former U.S. Marine Thomas Jacob Sanford, was killed at the scene. His family is cooperating with investigators, according to Leavitt.
“They are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note. All of those questions are yet to be answered but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” she added.
Gabrielle Giffords responds to Michigan shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 16:00
,
Katie Hawkinson
Former Congresswoman and gun violence prevention activist Gabrielle Giffords called yesterday’s shooting “devastating” in a statement on X.
“Families deserve safety wherever they are, but being targeted while practicing one’s faith is especially horrific,” Giffords said. “We know that more can be done to save lives and prevent targeted violence.”
She added: “Our leaders, on both sides of the aisle, must act now, before yet another community is altered forever by a horrific mass shooting.”
The ex-lawmaker founded GIFFORDS, a gun violence prevention organization, in 2013 after she was shot in the head two years prior at a constituent event in Tucson, Arizona.
'More info' to come after law enforcement meeting: police
Monday 29 September 2025 15:45
,
Katie Hawkinson
The Grand Blanc Township Police Department will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. today following a multi-agency meeting about Sunday’s attack.
Anyone with vehicles in the church’s parking lot will be able to retrieve them later today, police said. Nearby McCandlish Road also remains closed, the department added.
Sheriff shares update on Michigan church shooting: 'We will overcome'
Monday 29 September 2025 15:30
,
Katie Hawkinson
Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson shared an update on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after a gunman killed four people and injured eight at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.
Swanson said there will be an increased number of sheriff’s patrols at schools that are in session today, and that grief counseling is available for community members.
“I want you to know that you’re protected, that while we continue to work through all the different agencies and put the scene back together, that your day-to-day work and day-to-day operations are very important to us,” he said.
“I want you to think of those victims that have suffered, those families, the church — but more importantly, do your part, the best you can, wherever you can,” he added. “Be kind to somebody, show some love, make a phone call and be part of the healing process. You are protected today, I promise you.”
“We will get through this, we will overcome.”
Video: Michigan church burns after gunman rams car into building and opens fire on congregants
Monday 29 September 2025 15:15
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Joe Sommerlad
Shocking aerial footage widely shared on social media yesterday shows the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ablaze.
ICYMI: President Donald Trump condemns shooting as 'attack on Christians'
Monday 29 September 2025 15:00
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Katie Hawkinson
President Donald Trump denounced the Sunday shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
“This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” Trump wrote.
Read his full Truth Social post below:
'It's horrific': Resident recounts neighbors' reaction to Michigan church shooting
Monday 29 September 2025 14:45
,
Katie Hawkinson
Joel Feick, a Grand Blanc Township resident and member of its Board of Trustees, told local outlet WDIV he lives near the town’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
While Feick wasn’t home during the attack, his neighbors recounted the awful scene.
“I was not home when it happened, but this happened right next to my condo,” Feick said. “My neighbors heard the gunfire. They heard the screaming, the windows. They saw the truck. It’s horrific.
“I know that you can see the smoke from I-75 a couple of miles away, from this church just burning,” he added. “So, clearly, somebody set this church on fire. We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Recap: Mass shooting at Michigan Mormon church leaves four dead and shakes faith communities across the US
Monday 29 September 2025 14:30
,
Joe Sommerlad
If you’re just joining us, here’s a reminder of the horrific events in Grand Blanc, Michigan, yesterday.
Just as Sunday service was getting underway at the town’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, congregants heard a loud boom near the front of the building. Fearing that someone was injured, some moved toward the sound to help, but were met with gunfire.
A man police have identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, Michigan, rammed his Chevy Silverado truck – adorned with a pair of American flags in the bed – through the church’s front door and began firing an assault rifle at the hundreds of gathered worshippers. At some point, he set the church ablaze while terrified congregants were still trapped in the building.
By the time the shooting was over, one victim was dead, eight others were wounded, and Sanford was killed in a gunfight with police.
Later in the day, three more victims were declared dead; one from a gunshot wound, and two others who were found later in the evening inside the burned remains of the church.
Graig Graziosi has this full report.
Iraq war veteran who opened fire on hundreds of Mormon worshippers pictured in Donald Trump shirt
Monday 29 September 2025 14:00
,
Joe Sommerlad
Here’s our updated profile of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man accused of Sunday’s attack on the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc Township in Michigan, as details continue to emerge about his background.
