The man who shot up a Mormon church in the US state of Michigan , and set a fire that killed four people, was a former Marine who expressed animosity about the Mormon faith just days before the attack.

Thomas Sanford, who was known as Jake, drove a pickup truck with a deer skull and antlers strapped to the front and two large American flags at the back, according to friends and social media posts.

Sanford, 40, smashed that truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc Township on Sunday.

He was killed by police officers who rushed to the scene, 60 miles northwest of Detroit. The building was destroyed.

Kris Johns, who is running for election on the local council, said he met Sanford while introducing himself to voters last week.

He told local media

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