Michigan Church Shooting and Fire

The attack unfolded at 10:25 a.m. on Sunday Morning as hundreds of people attended the weekly service at the Church Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Worshipers had finished the Sacrament, the first half of the two-hour service, when they heard a long bang and the doors flew open. 

Sanford rammed his four-door pickup truck through the front door of the chapel, exited the vehicle, and began firing an assault rifle he fired several rounds at the worshipers before setting the building on fire, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the air.

Anchorites believe the suspect deliberately set fire to the church using an accelerator, and some suspected explosive devices linked to the incident were also found at the scene. As many as three improvised devices were discovered, according to senior law enforcement. One church going named as Maser recalled hearing “a big bang” that blew the doors in followed by complete chaos,  she and others ran outside where her and friend got into a car. The gunman also went outside and continued to fire.

Three of the bullets struck the car Maser was in, which of one grazed maser’s friend Paul Kirby, 38, was at church with his wife and two sons when he saw a chapel wall buckle and heard a loud boom, he and some others outside thinking a driver had run off the road. Instead, Kirby saw the gunman get out the car begin to fire 20 yards from where he stood. He ran towards the church doors, but not before shrapnel struck him in his left leg and right foot.

A nearby resident, Janet Peera, said her family was leaving their home when they saw police vehicles and heard gunshots. Amid the chaos the family ended up in the church parking lot. “There were bodies lying on the sidewalk,” she said. “There was one lying in the back of somebody’s truck that had gotten shot maybe a couple times in the leg.”

Law enforcement officers arrived at the church within 30 seconds after receiving the 911 call and neutralized the suspect  within eight minutes in the back parking lot, the church building is considered a total loss due to the result of the fire. 

Firefighters rushing to extinguish

Amid the chaos and terror, people inside the church threw themselves into danger’s path to shield children from gunfire. Congregants moved young people to safety while bullets flew through the chapel. Grand Blanc Township police Chief William Renye praised their actions, saying they “displayed extreme courage” as hundreds of people were simply practicing their faith.

The heroism extended beyond the church walls. Nurses from a nearby hospital abandoned their picket line and ran toward the burning church to help. They went in and out of the fire to drag people to safety and helped care for victims on the scene. 

Chief Renye praised the two officers who quickly responded to the emergency call, stating “We don’t believe there’s a threat to the public. We believe we have the guy who did this” FBI director Kash Patel issued a statement saying calling violence in a place of worship “a cowardly and criminal act” and offering prayers to the families.

The actions of both civilians and first responders undoubtedly prevented an even greater tragedy from unfolding that Sunday morning.  

Four people were killed in the attack. Two victims were fatally shot, while two others died in the fire that engulfed the church. Eight people were wounded in total—five suffered gunshot wounds and three experienced smoke inhalation.

Two gunshot victims remained in critical condition as of Monday. The eight injured victims ranged in age from 6 to 78 years old and were treated at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital.

As of Monday night, none of the victims had been officially identified, and officials stated that first responders were in “recovery mode,” carefully sifting through the debris. By Monday, authorities confirmed that everyone had been accounted for.

The victims were members of the congregation who had gathered for their weekly 10 a.m. Sunday service. Many were dressed in their Sunday best, and the worshippers had just finished the Sacrament portion of the service when the attack began. One churchgoer named Paula, who had been a member of the Grand Blanc chapel for 38 years, said some of the primary children she taught on Sundays were hurt. “It’s devastating to know I lost friends,” she said, her voice breaking.

The attack shattered what should have been a peaceful morning of worship, leaving families and an entire community reeling from unimaginable loss.

The FBI is leading the investigation and has classified the attack as an “act of targeted violence.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that based on conversations with the FBI director, investigators believe Sanford “hated people of the Mormon faith.” Friends revealed that Sanford’s animosity toward the church began after a relationship with an LDS woman ended badly more than a decade earlier.

More than 100 FBI agents have been assigned to the investigation, along with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A specialized rapid response team from the ATF—which has assisted in investigations including the 9/11 World Trade Center attack and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing—was deployed to Michigan. The team includes explosives specialists, bomb technicians, forensic chemists, and canine handlers from locations as far as California and Hawaii.

Four improvised explosive devices made of consumer-grade fireworks and smoke canisters were found inside Sanford’s truck. Investigators searched Sanford’s residence and are working to obtain search warrants for his digital media to determine a motive. More than 100 witnesses have been interviewed, with additional interviews still ongoing.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged people to refrain from speculation, saying, “At this juncture, speculation is unhelpful and it can be downright dangerous. So just ask that people lower the temperature of rhetoric.”

This attack marks the latest in a series of violent incidents at places of worship across the United States. Houses of worship—sanctuaries meant for peace, reflection, and community—have increasingly become targets of senseless violence. As investigators work to piece together what drove Thomas Sanford to commit this horrific act, one thing remains clear: no community should have to endure such terror, and no congregation should fear for their lives while practicing their faith.

The investigation continues as authorities remain committed to uncovering the full truth behind this tragedy and ensuring justice for the victims and their families.