‘Evil is alive’: Mass shooting at Michigan Mormon church leaves two dead and shakes faith communities across the US

Just as Sunday service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, was getting underway, congregants heard a loud boom near the front of the church. 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, 9 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.

Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said during an 8pm press conference that there were still individuals unaccounted for, and that the church had not fully been cleared by first responders. Additional victims may be found.

Phillip Cotter, who was a member of the church, teared up as he spoke to the Detroit Free Press. He did not attend services this morning, “I know everyone who was there,” he said.

“I don’t know what God has planned for us, but I trust him. Evil is alive; it’s active. People are too casual to throw out terms that inflame others, weak minds.”

At 10:25 am, the Grand Blanc Police Department received a call that a mass shooting was underway. Within a minute, officers were on scene and responding to the situation. At some point during the attack, Sanford exited the church and began firing at cars and churchgoers in the parking lot. A Grand Blanc Township police officer and an officer from the state’s Department of Natural Resources were on-scene and fired at Sanford, killing him at 10:33 am.

Firefighter first responders raced to the scene to help stop the blaze at the church while police and EMS workers tended to the wounded.

James Deir, the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Detroit Field Division, said during the Sunday night press conference that agents located explosives during their investigation, though he did not say where the explosives were found. He did confirm that Thomas Jacob Sanford used gasoline to start the fire in the church.

In the hours after the shooting, there were also reportedly bomb threats called in to other area churches, according to Specialist Lieutenant Kim Vetter of the Michigan State Police. When asked if there was an active threat to the community, she advised residents to stay vigilant and report any unusual behavior, but did not confirm that there was an ongoing threat.

Once officers identified the shooter, a convoy of law enforcement officers traveled to his home in Burton to begin an investigation into his potential motives. Police deployed a bomb squad unit, including a robot, and used drones to search Sanford’s home, fearing that he may have rigged its interior with explosives.

The shooting came out of nowhere; one man, who was injured when the gunman fired a bullet through his windshield as he tried to escape with his wife, told Detroit 2 News that no one he had spoken with had ever seen Sanford before.

Reyne commended the members of the church for their bravery in the face of unimaginable violence, noting that many were shielding the children inside the building as they rushed them to safety.

“Just hundreds of people, just practicing their faith,” Reyne said of the congregants.