OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:13 PM – Sunday, September 28, 2025
At least two people were killed and eight others injured in a shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday.
The attack occurred just before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday as congregants gathered inside for church service.
In a press briefing, the suspect was identified by Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford.
Sanford reportedly graduated from a high school near the church and was previously deployed to Iraq from 2007 to 2008.
Sanford allegedly rammed his vehicle into one of the church walls then “exited his vehicle firing several rounds at individuals within the church,” Renye stated.
The gunman, armed with an assault-style rifle, was able to kill two individuals, while eight others sustained injuries from gunshot wounds.
Renye went on to reveal that one of the wounded individuals is in critical condition, while the other seven are in stable condition.
Police responded to the scene in less than a minute, leading to a shootout with the suspect. “That call came out at 10:25 a.m. and 32 seconds,” Renye stated. “We had officers on the scene at 10:25 and 57 seconds.”
Renye added that the suspect “was neutralized” by law enforcement officers “at 10:33 [a.m.]” in the church parking lot.
At some point during the attack, the gunman is believed to have intentionally set the church on fire, sending thick plumes of smoke rising over the surrounding area, although investigators are “still trying to determine exactly when and where that fire ended up coming from and how it got started.”
Evidence technicians have since been sent inside the church, and law enforcement believes that there may have been more people “near the fire and they were unable to get out of the church.”
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that FBI agents “are on the scene to assist local authorities.”
There has reportedly been a heavy police presence outside of the suspect’s home, including the Michigan State Police bomb squad, as the motive for the attack currently remains unclear.
Additionally, President Donald Trump released a statement in response to the attack, writing: “I have been briefed on the horrendous shooting that took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Grand Blanc, Michigan. The FBI was immediately on scene, and will be leading the Federal Investigation, and providing full support to State and Local Officials.”
“The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America. The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do. In the meantime, PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!