Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, was identified as the shooter responsible for a mass shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Sanford drove his pickup truck into the church, exited the vehicle, and opened fire with an assault rifle on congregants during a service. He also deliberately set fire to the church building. The shooting resulted in the deaths of at least two people, with several others injured. Sanford was killed by law enforcement officers in a shootout at the scene.
Sanford was a US Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008 and lived in Burton, Michigan. His vehicle was reportedly decorated with two large American flags, and social media posts suggest a possible Trump support sign at his residence, though these affiliations have not been officially confirmed by authorities. The motive for the attack remains under investigation, with searches conducted at his home and examination of his cellphone records. There were also reports of improvised explosive devices found near the church. The incident shocked the community, especially as it occurred shortly after the death of Russell M. Nelson, the longtime president of the church [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, was identified as the shooter responsible for a mass shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Sanford drove his pickup truck into the church, exited the vehicle, and opened fire with an assault rifle on congregants during a service. He also deliberately set fire to the church building. The shooting resulted in the deaths of at least two people, with several others injured. Sanford was killed by law enforcement officers in a shootout at the scene.
Sanford was a US Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008 and lived in Burton, Michigan. His vehicle was reportedly decorated with two large American flags, and social media posts suggest a possible Trump support sign at his residence, though these affiliations have not been officially confirmed by authorities. The motive for the attack remains under investigation, with searches conducted at his home and examination of his cellphone records. There were also reports of improvised explosive devices found near the church. The incident shocked the community, especially as it occurred shortly after the death of Russell M. Nelson, the longtime president of the church [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].
Citations: [1] Thomas Sanford a Trump supporter? Big claim on … https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/thomas-jacob-sanford-trump-supporter-michigan-grand-blanc-church-shooters-political-affiliation-democrat-or-republican-101759091935370.html [2] Who is Thomas Sanford? Michigan Mormon church … https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/who-is-thomas-sanford-michigan-grand-blanc-mormon-church-shooting-suspect-identified-as-iraq-war-veteran-101759088332418.html [3] Iraq War veteran Thomas Sanford ID’d as gunman who … https://nypost.com/2025/09/28/us-news/iraq-war-veteran-thomas-sanford-idd-as-gunman-who-attacked-grand-blanc-lds-church-killing-2-and-setting-it-ablaze/ [4] Police identify suspect in mass shooting at Grand Blanc … https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2025/09/28/police-identify-suspect-in-mass-shooting-at-grand-blanc-township-church/ [5] Grand Blanc church shooting: What’s known about … https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/michigan-grand-blanc-church-shooting-suspect [6] Live updates: Church attack kills 2, injures 8; suspect … https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/michigan-church-shooting-live-updates-rcna234221 [7] Photos emerge of truck decked out in American flags that … https://nypost.com/2025/09/28/us-news/photos-emerge-of-truck-decked-out-in-american-flags-that-gunman-crashed-into-mormon-church-before-shooting/ [8] Live updates: Church shooting and fire in Grand Blanc … https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/church-shooting-fire-michigan-09-28-25 [9] Two killed and eight injured as suspect named in Michigan … https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c62l7x0v5e5t [10] Suspect Identified in Shooting at Mormon Church in Michigan https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/breaking-suspect-identified-shooting-mormon-204305951.html
You probably shouldn’t trust the Hindustan Times, they are not a credible news source