(Image via NBC News)

Social Media Manager: Samantha McCarthy

Email: smccarthy12@umassd.edu

A gunman opened fire after driving his truck through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan during a service on Sunday, September 28th. 

The shooting began shortly after the gunman drove his Chevy Silverado into the building. After shooting, he proceeded to set the building on fire. 

About ten minutes after the shooting, the suspect died during a shootout with police. 

Paul Kirby, who had been in the church at the time of the shooting, explained the moment to CBS News, saying, “It was just so unexpected… Once I saw the gun and start hearing him start shooting it, it was just a lot of fear.” 

Two people were killed in the shooting while the other two victims were found shortly afterwards.

The building has been deemed a “total loss” by officials, as the structure partially collapsed. 

The suspect was later identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, from Burton, Michigan. While an exact motive has not been confirmed, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that he was “an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith.” 

Sanford was a former Marine and spent seven months deployed in Iraq in 2007. He has also had previous arrests for burglary and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Many online have been speculating about Sanford’s political beliefs as they feel this may be part of his motive, but the only information that has been found is photos of him wearing a shirt promoting Donald Trump’s reelection in 2020. 

Friends of Sanford said that he had dated a girl that introduced him to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But, friends said that he faced other issues that may have prompted the attack. 

“It needs to be made clear this wasn’t a simple act of him having his heart broken by a girl who was Mormon,” the friend told NBC News. “That was his introduction into Mormonism and what it was all about. It was never about ‘that girl broke my heart.’” The friend asked to remain unnamed because of safety concerns. 

Friends say he also struggled with drug abuse and appeared to be the father of a son with serious health issues. 

“I know three things. He moved to Utah. He started dating this girl and then investigated and learned about Mormons because she was a Mormon. And I know that also, he got into meth really hardcore. It messed his life up and it messed his head up. And it just happened to be at the time he was around Mormons,” Peter Tersigni, another friend of Sanford,  told ABC News.

Again, while these motives have not been confirmed, officials say it was a targeted act of violence.

The victims of the shooting have not been identified by officials, but friends and families have started coming forward with news interviews and fundraising websites. 

Listed below are the victims of the attack whose families have come forward as well as links to their fundraising pages to support friends and family during this traumatic time. 

• Pat Howard, a 77-year-old man from Holly, Michigan was among the four killed in the attack. 
• John Bond, 77, was also killed in the attack. 
• Craig Hayden, 72, was killed while trying to help another congregant escape.
•  Greg Mikat was shot three times and is currently in the intensive care unit. 
• Jeff and Marei Kubiak, a married couple, both sustained injuries during the shooting. 
• Benjamin Phelps and his son, who has not been identified, were also injured. 

Moving forward, there is much uncertainty when it comes to the motive and greater information about the attack. Our hearts go out to the victims, families, and friends that were impacted by this tragic event.