The shooter was a former Marine who served in the Iraq War.
A Sunday worship service dissolved into horror in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on Sept. 28 when a man crashed his vehicle through the front doors and opened fire with a rifle.
The crash also set the church ablaze, and five people were killed, including the shooter, who was taken down by police. An additional eight were wounded.
Grand Blanc is a community of around 8,000 people.
Here’s what we know so far.
What Happened
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel was the target of the attack.
The first 911 call came at around 10:25 a.m. local time, and police had killed the shooter by 10:33 a.m., officials said.
The area was evacuated, and local and federal authorities responded to the chapel, which was on fire for some time after the initial impact.
Continued Search for Victims
Police said the perpetrator, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, intentionally set fire to the church.
According to a Sept. 29 press conference, two of the shooting victims died, and eight others were hospitalized.
Two more bodies were found in the charred remains of the church.
Officials stated that no one has been reported as unaccounted for at this time.
The Shooter
It is not yet known what motive Sanford, 40, from Burton, near Grand Blanc, might have had for targeting the church.
According to military records, Sanford was a veteran of the Iraq War and served in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Sept. 29 that Sanford’s family is cooperating with the FBI.
When questioned by reporters, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said the suspect had been arrested in the past, including for burglary and an offense related to the operation of a vehicle while intoxicated.
Police Response to ‘Targeted Violence’
Police called the Michigan church shooting an “act of targeted violence” but said they don’t have any answers on why the ex-Marine crashed his vehicle into the building.
“The FBI is investigating this as an act of targeted violence, and we are continuing to work to determine a motive,” said acting special agent-in-charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, Reuben Coleman.
Hundreds of worshippers were inside the church at the time, and because the building was set ablaze, it took time for first responders to ascertain the victims’ status before moving on to the investigation portion.
Coleman said there was an evidence response team, and intelligence analysts were still processing the crime scene.
Col. James Grady, Head of Michigan State Police, asked the community to reach out to law enforcement if anything seems unusual to them.
“Fifty-three percent of mass attacks leave a trail of clues leading up to them, and two-thirds of mass attackers elicited behavior that causes concerns,” he said.
“So we are asking our communities to stay vigilant, and if you see something suspicious, please contact local law enforcement or 911 immediately.”
Officials Warn Against Divisive Rhetoric
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke to the press the day after the attack, offering her condolences to the community and families affected.
“There is no place in our society for this. There’s absolutely no place,” Whitmer said.
“I know that this community is reeling right now. I want you to know that the state of Michigan has your back. Your grief is our grief.”
She also said that “speculation is unhelpful, and can be very dangerous. So I just ask that people lower the temperature of rhetoric.”
Renye called the event an “evil act of violence.”
“This is not Grand Blanc … [It] does not define Grand Blanc and who we are. We are a community, and I am confident that together we’re going to build a stronger community due to this incident,” he said.
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