t was just another day of worship for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. It was just another day of rage for a hate-filled madman.
On Sunday, 40-year-old Tomas Jacob Sanford, a former United States Marine, turned his anger into hate for people of the Mormon faith. Sanford rammed his pickup truck into the Latter-day Saints (LDS) church, filled with hundreds of worshipers. The madman then shot eight worshipers, killing two.
Sanford then set their place of worship on fire. Two people died in the church fire, bringing the number of dead victims of his rage to four.
The church building was a beautiful structure before the 5-alarm fire. After the fire, the structure was reduced to rubble. Authorities advised that they found multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the scene. Police used robots to explore the scene and check for bombs.
Thomas Sanford’s Father Issued An Apology.
On Monday, the elder Sanford called into the Detroit Free Press to issue an apology to the families of the victims. “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 elder Sanford said, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. “I apologize for that.” The Detroit Free Press is a part of the USA Today Network.
The FBI
The Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the attack was being investigated as an “act of targeted violence”.[8
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X, “Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this tragedy,” he wrote.
Wounded Warriors
The September 28, 2025, church shooting committed by 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford was the second mass shooting by an Iraqi war veteran in late September.
On September 27, 2025, 40-year-old wounded Iraqi war veteran Nigel Edge allegedly committed a mass shooting at the American Fish Company in Southport, North Carolina.
Three people were killed, and five others were wounded in the attack, according to authorities.
President Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been briefed on the “horrendous” event.
“The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America, Trump said.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X, “Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this tragedy,” he wrote.
