GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — In the chaotic moments after a former Marine smashed his pickup truck into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan and began shooting, church members dragged others to safety while smoke filled the building, officials said Monday.
Four people died and eight others were wounded in Sunday’s attack just as services were underway in the crowded sanctuary. Authorities feared they would find additional victims, but by Monday everyone was accounted for after a sweep of the charred ruins, police said.
Investigators were focusing on what motivated the 40-year-old veteran to open fire and set ablaze the church in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles north of Detroit. The suspect was killed while exchanging gunfire with two officers, said Township Chief of Police William Renye.
Eight people — ages 6 to 78 — were injured, including five with gunshot wounds, the chief said. The others suffered smoke inhalation.
“This was an evil act of violence,” Renye said.
The FBI considered the attack — the second on an American church in little over a month — an “act of targeted violence,” said Ruben Coleman, a special agent in charge for the bureau.
Investigators declined to discuss any possible motives during a news conference Monday.
Authorities identified the shooter as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of the neighboring town of Burton. Investigators deployed a robot while searching Sanford’s residence Sunday but did not say what they found or provide any additional details about him, including whether he had any connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said investigators were looking into how much planning went into the attack and whether any clues about the motive were left behind.
“From what I understand, 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,” she said Monday during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends.”
Heroic efforts inside the church
Employees from a nearby hospital were inside the church at the time of the attack and jumped into action, said Dr. Michael Danic, medical chief of staff for Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, where most of the victims were treated.
He described how the employees went “in and out of the fire” to help drag people out.
“They were heroes. Those on the scene were absolute heroes,” Danic said.
Searching for answers
Crews in white coveralls and hard hats searched through what remained of the church Monday morning. The suspect’s silver truck with two American flags in the back remained where it had smashed into a brick wall near a sign that says “visitors welcome.”
Across the street, there was an SUV with apparent bullet holes in the windshield and driver window.
Sanford apparently used gas to start the fire and also had explosive devices, said James Dier of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
