Grand Blanc, Michigan — A chilling scene unfolded Sunday morning when a 40-year-old man drove a pickup truck into the front of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, then stepped out firing an assault-style rifle and setting the building on fire. In the span of just minutes, worshippers’ Sunday routine turned into tragedy. Officials now confirm that at least four people are dead and eight others wounded.
The attack is believed to have started around 10:25 a.m., when the vehicle—later identified as a Chevy Silverado—plowed through the church’s front doors. Witnesses say the structure was already filling with smoke and flames as portions of the roof collapsed in the ensuing inferno. Hundreds of worshippers were inside at the time, scrambling for exits as chaos erupted.
Responding officers confronted the gunman just minutes after the assault began. In a firefight near the building, the suspect was fatally shot by police. Authorities also discovered what appear to be improvised explosive devices both inside the suspect’s vehicle and near the church, prompting bomb squad intervention. No evidence yet indicates whether the explosives were used in the attack.
The man was later identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford of nearby Burton, Michigan. He is confirmed to have been a former Marine who served in Iraq during the mid-2000s. While authorities have not established a clear motive, investigators are combing through his home, phone records, and online presence.
The church—the one located at 4285 McCandlish Road—is now considered a total loss, engulfed in flames with major sections collapsed. As first responders comb through rubble, more victims may yet be found. Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement expressing sorrow and pledging cooperation with authorities.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called it a heartbreaking attack on a place of worship: “My heart is breaking for the Grand Blanc community. Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.” Federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF, are now leading the ongoing investigation. As the community reels, the full story of who Sanford was, what drove him, and who else may have been involved remains under intense scrutiny.