After the Police identified the suspect behind the attack at a church in Grand Blanc as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, from Burton, Michigan, other details relating to the suspect have begun to come to light.
On Sunday morning, Sanford was reportedly seen driving a Chevy Silverado into the entrance of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then started shooting people inside using a semi-automatic rifle.
Two people were confirmed dead. Nine others were hurt. Officials say the death count could rise as the building is still being searched.
Sanford died after police shot him outside the church.
Video from the scene shows his body near the church while the building was on fire. Witnesses saw older men lying on the ground, not moving. Some victims are still unaccounted for.
Sanford set the church on fire after the shooting. Drone footage and aerial photos show the building burning, with thick black smoke. The roof later collapsed while firefighters were still working.
Thomas Sanford, the Michigan church shooter, raised $3K in 2015 through GoFundMe for his son, who was born with a rare genetic condition.
Sanford served in the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, according to posts by his family.
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Social media accounts linked to Sanford show him with his wife and young son. A GoFundMe from 2015 raised over $3,000 for his son, who was born with a rare health condition called congenital hyperinsulinism, according to NYPost.
Police are investigating possible motives. They are looking into Sanford’s mental health, including signs of PTSD. They are also reviewing posts that may contain anti-Mormon statements.
His truck made a beeping noise during the incident, which raised alarms about a possible bomb. The bomb squad is checking several suspicious items found at the church. Police think some of them might be explosives.
TVC previously reported that at least five people were killed in the Sunday morning attack, including the gunman, and at least eight others were injured in the latest attack on a church in Michigan, United States of America. Police said more bodies may be found in the remains of the burned-down building.
As the search for more victims continues following the mass shooting and fire at a Mormon church in Michigan, officials have begun to release information regarding the suspect. Authorities are now providing details about the individual believed to have perpetrated the horrific attack during the Sunday service.
Authorities identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, who allegedly drove a vehicle directly through the front doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. Sanford then reportedly proceeded to open fire inside the building before setting the structure ablaze.
Authorities Identify Suspect Behind Michigan Church Shooting
