Michigan church shooting investigation: FBI searching for motive after Thomas Jacob Sanford's attack
The FBI is trying to determine why Thomas Jacob Sanford attacked The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Michigan on Sunday, killing four. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that, "this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith."
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Fire and law enforcement officers stand outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025 in Grand Blanc, Mich; suspect Jacob Sanford. (AP; Facebook/Tella Sanford)
GRAND BLANC, Mich. – The father of the man responsible for driving a truck into a Mormon church in Michigan before opening fire on congregants apologized for his son's actions on Monday.
The father, Thomas Sanford, told the Detroit Free Press that the situation is a "nightmare." Neighbors and members of the community in Grand Blanc, Michigan expressed shock and sorrow in interviews with Fox News Digital. Investigators have not determined a specific motive for the shooter, also named Thomas Sanford, as new details emerge about his romantic life and alleged anti-Mormon prejudice.
"I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under," the elder Sanford said. "I apologize for that."
Online images of the shooter's home showed a campaign sign for President Donald Trump on its fence, but the sign was not present when Fox News Digital saw the home on Monday.
Local city council candidate Kris Johns told Fox News that he spoke to Sanford just days before his attack and that the conversation veered toward extreme anti-Mormon rhetoric.
Sanford referred to Mormonism as "the anti-Christ" during their talk, Johns said.
Past acquaintances of Sanford's say he had no such prejudice earlier in his life. Sandra Winter, who says she was Sanford's landlady in Utah for roughly 10 months in 2010, said he dated and nearly married a Mormon woman during his time there.
Winter said she knew Sanford well and that he was considering joining the Mormon church in order to further his relationship with the girlfriend. She added that the woman's family was "pretty gung ho about the idea."
Despite all this, Winter said Sanford one day abruptly left without explanation.
Fox News' Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
Church members and residents reunite following the shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 28, 2025 in Grand Blanc, Michigan. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images)
The FBI’s Detroit Field Office said Tuesday it has deployed “a victim services team with personnel from Michigan and others across the country, who are committed to providing support to the victims, their families, and the community,” in the wake of the fatal shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.
“The FBI continues investigating the horrific attack on innocent victims at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday, September 28,” the agency said Tuesday.”
“Our FBI victim services team and our federal, state, and local partners will be there to provide assistance for those impacted by the attack,” it added.
The man police identified as the gunman who killed four people and injured several others during services at a Michigan Mormon church on Sunday before setting the building on fire is a 40-year-old Marine veteran who served in Iraq.
Thomas Jacob Sanford was named by authorities as the man who rammed a Chevy Silverado truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, before opening fire on the hundreds of worshipers gathered there.
Sanford then allegedly set the building on fire before being killed by responding officers. Police said they believe Sanford used an accelerant, likely gasoline, to start the fire.
At a short news conference, authorities confirmed that Sanford, from nearby Burton, Michigan, was the lone suspect.
Sanford served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 as an organizational automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator, the Marine Corps told Fox News.
He deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He earned several awards during his four years of service, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
He left with the rank of sergeant and his last duty assignment was with the 2nd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Police sources told FOX 2 Detroit that Sanford had a wife and son.
Fox News' Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
John Bond, 77, was identified by Fox2 Detroit as one of the Michigan church shooting victims. (Credit: GoFundMe)
John Bond, a 77-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam, was identified by Fox2 Detroit as one of the four people who died in the shooting on Sunday at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
Bond’s family told the station that he had six children and ten grandchildren.
His widow told FOX 2 Detroit that Bond said, “I love you,” prior to him attending service on Sunday.
“He was a well known and loved member of his family and active in his community. John was a Navy veteran serving for nine years, a lover of golf and trains and always loved spending time with his family and grandkids,” read a GoFundMe page set up to support his memorial service.
Thomas Jacob Sanford was identified as the shooter in the attack.
Marine veteran Thomas Jacob Sanford, the man identified by authorities as the gunman who killed four people and injured eight others at a Michigan church that he also allegedly set on fire, was previously arrested for burglary and operating while intoxicated (OWI), authorities said Monday.
“The suspect from yesterday has been arrested by law enforcement in the past,” Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said during a press conference.
Sanford, 40, was killed when he engaged with responding law enforcement officers at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday.
Days before he allegedly killed four people at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the alleged shooter espoused anti-Mormon views, according to a city council candidate.
Kris Johns, who is running for a seat on the Burton City Council, was out canvassing going door-to-door about a week ago when he met Thomas Jacob Sanford.
Within minutes of meeting, Johns said Sanford asked him “What are your thoughts on guns?” and “What do you know about Mormons?”
Johns said Sanford then launched into a tirade against the church.
"It was a tirade. I mean, that's ultimately what it was," he told Fox News. "It was a series of questions, but it was him proactively making a tirade about his views in the LDS Church.
“It was extremely anti-Mormon,” he added. “And then really what I walked away with, you know the statement I'll never forget was that Mormons are the anti-Christ.”
Johns said he initially didn't make the connection between Sanford's remarks and the attack in the church.
"I was in church at the time that the attack happened," he said. "I received the message and I saw that it was an LDS church. I made no connection. From the attack in Grand Blanc to what was him. It wasn't until later in the day where I saw a photo where I knew exactly that was the person I spoke with."
The remains of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel are seen in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, the day after a former Marine opened fire and set the building ablaze. (AP/Mark Vancleave)
The father of Thomas Jacob Sanford said he feels "terrible" after his son allegedly opened fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, killing four people.
"I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under," Thomas Sanford told the Detroit Free Press. "I apologize for that."
The shooter served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008 as an organizational automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator, the Marine Corps told Fox News.
"He came back. I'm glad he came back in one piece," Thomas Sanford said to the Detroit Free Press. "He was in logistics. He drove a wrecker and went out and picked up vehicles. One time, he was under fire but most of the time he was fine."
"He loved the United States; he loved his family," Sanford reportedly added. "He was a good man. He was a family man."
"The only thing I can say is that it was my son that did it," Sanford also told the Detroit Free Press. "As far as why? Irrelevant. It happened. We're dealing with it. It's been a nightmare."
Fox News' Louis Casiano and Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, is seen in this undated photo sitting in the back of a pickup truck. (Facebook / Tella Sanford)
A Michigan resident told WDIV that Thomas Jacob Sanford "gunned [the] engine" of his truck at her and her 16-year-old daughter in the days leading up to the deadly shooting in Grand Blanc Township.
Kara Pattison was identified by the station as a longtime friend of Sanford. The alleged incident happened as Pattison and her daughter, Lydia, were walking on a street.
“We started to cross, and the truck like gunned its engine and came at us,” Pattison said. “I blocked my daughter and we jumped back, and then the window rolled down, and it was Jake. He was laughing. He’s, like, ‘Oh, got you guys.’”
“He had never pretended to run us over before, so no, that wasn’t normal behavior,” Pattison added.
The FBI has conducted more than 100 interviews as it continues to investigate Sunday's deadly shooting, the agency said Monday.
Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office, said that investigators were still trying to determine a motive for the attack.
"In the past 24 hours, our investigative squads and specialty teams have been out all night exhausting leads, some which are coming in from the public via tips," he said.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of targeted violence.
The bureau's special agents, victim specialists, child advocate forensic interviewers, and local partners have interviewed over 100 victims and witnesses, Coleman said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided an update on the FBI investigation into the shooting and fire at a Michigan Mormon church on Sunday.
"Based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note. All of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI," Leavitt told "Fox & Friends" on Monday after speaking with FBI Director Kash Patel.
Thomas Jacob Sanford was named by authorities as the man who rammed a Chevy Silverado into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, before opening fire on the hundreds of worshipers gathered there.
The White House press secretary praised local law enforcement for their response to the shooting.
"Local police officers were on the ground of this scene within minutes and neutralized this shooter, no doubt saving lives, and they should be commended. Our police officers are heroes and this president will always respect them and support them," Leavitt continued.
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