A tragic mass shooting and arson attack struck Michigan on Sunday when a former U.S. Marine stormed into a church, killing at least four people and injuring eight others before being shot dead by police.
The attack took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles northwest of Detroit. Police identified the attacker as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, a Marine veteran from Burton.
Authorities said Sanford crashed his car into the church doors before opening fire with an assault rifle. He then poured gasoline and set parts of the building on fire as hundreds of worshippers tried to escape. Two people were killed instantly, while eight others were rushed to hospitals. Later, two more bodies were found inside the burned church. Police have said more victims may still be unaccounted for.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye praised the rapid response of officers, who arrived within 30 seconds of the first emergency calls. A gunfight broke out in the parking lot, and Sanford was killed roughly eight minutes after the violence began. Investigators later recovered explosives, and the FBI is treating the case as targeted violence.
Military records show Sanford served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008, including a deployment to Iraq. Authorities are now searching his home and devices to learn more about his motive.
Witnesses described terrifying scenes. One church member, Paula, told local media: “I lost friends in there, and some of my little primary children that I teach on Sundays were hurt. It’s very devastating for me.” Another worshipper recalled the sound of a “big bang” as the church doors were destroyed.
National reaction was swift. Former U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the incident, calling it “another targeted attack on Christians” and demanding stronger measures against violence. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed sorrow, saying it was deeply saddened by the tragedy.
The Michigan church attack has been recorded as the 324th mass shooting in the U.S. in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive. It came just hours after two other mass shootings, one at a North Carolina waterfront bar that killed three people, and another at a Texas casino where two people died.
The investigation into Sanford’s actions continues, while families and community members mourn the devastating loss of life in what has become one of Michigan’s deadliest church attacks.
