Church Shooting in Michigan Leaves 2 Dead as Gunman Sets Worship Center on Fire

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Residents of a Michigan community are grieving after a local man crashed his pickup truck into a worship center during Sunday service, then opened fire and set the building on fire -- leaving four dead and at least 10 injured. Law enforcement officials say 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Mich., crashed his Chevrolet Silverado into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., before exiting the vehicle and opening fire with a semi-automatic weapon. The two cities are about 10 miles apart. 

Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said a few hundred parishioners were worshiping at the time. Law enforcement is still searching for a motive. 

Among the 10 who were injured, at least one is in critical condition. Sanford was killed by law enforcement. Four parishioners died -- two from gunshots and two from the fire. The incident took place around 10:25 local time.   

“There was a fire that occurred, and we believe that that was deliberately set by the suspect,” Renye said, adding that additional victims could be found inside the church. 

Grand Blanc, population 7,900, is located one hour northwest of Detroit. Scripps News Service interviewed a parishioner, identified only as “Paula,” who described the chaotic scene.  

“We went to church, we sat down. … One of our counselors was up speaking, and we heard a big bang, and the doors blew, and then everybody rushed out, and we went through the church and out through the parking lot,” she said.

A family in a nearby house provided shelter for her, she said. 

“We were worshiping our Savior, Jesus Christ. And then this happens, but it's not shaking my faith,” she said. “I don't know what happened, and I don't know why -- and probably never will.”

 

Paula did not know if the gunman was a parishioner. She joined the church 38 years ago. 

“I've lost friends in there. And some of my little primary children that I teach on Sundays [were in there],” she said. “... I mourn for the people who lost loved ones and whose loved ones are hurt.”

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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