Title: Investigators Seek Motive in Michigan Church Shooting

Content: GRAND BLANC, Mich. — All victims have been accounted for following a mass shooting and arson at a Michigan church on Sunday morning. Four people were killed and eight others were injured when a gunman opened fire during services at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, crashed his truck into the church before shooting congregants and setting the building ablaze. He was killed in a shootout with police shortly after the attack.

Authorities confirmed that one victim died at the scene, another succumbed to injuries at the hospital, and two more were found dead due to the fire. Eight individuals remain hospitalized, with seven in stable condition and one in critical condition. The church has been declared a total loss as investigators sift through the debris.

Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye stated that no additional victims are expected to be found. "At this time, everyone has been accounted for. We are still in the process of clearing the church, but everyone has been accounted for," Renye said.

The FBI is treating the incident as an act of targeted violence. Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Michigan field office, noted that investigators are working to determine the motive behind the attack. Evidence suggests that religious bias may have played a role, as Sanford reportedly harbored animosity toward the Mormon faith.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the investigation is focused on understanding the extent of Sanford's planning and whether he left any notes. "All they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith," she said.

Witnesses reported that hundreds of congregants were present when Sanford rammed his truck into the church, then opened fire inside before igniting the building. A source familiar with the investigation revealed that Sanford had expressed negative views about the church in conversations prior to the attack.

Sanford, a veteran of the Iraq War, served in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008. He had a history of arrests, although details were not disclosed. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged the public to refrain from speculation as investigators work to uncover the motive. "I want to caution everyone that while we are working hard, at this juncture speculation is unhelpful and it could be quite dangerous," she said.

In a related incident, a 21-year-old man was arrested after driving through a barricade near the church, although authorities are still determining if this is connected to the shooting.

This attack marks the 324th mass shooting in the U.S. in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which follows the teachings of Jesus and the prophecies of its founder Joseph Smith, expressed its sorrow over the violence. Doug Andersen, a church spokesman, stated, "Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved."