At least four individuals have lost their lives and numerous others have sustained injuries after a shooter drove a vehicle into a church in Michigan, opened fire, and ignited a fire, according to authorities.
Officials reported that the assault on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, situated 60 miles (100km) northwest of Detroit, transpired during a Sunday service that drew in hundreds of attendees.
The suspect, named Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, from Burton, Michigan, was subsequently shot dead by law enforcement in the church parking lot.
Authorities are looking into the event as an “incident of targeted violence,” but the motive remains uncertain.
Two of the victims succumbed to gunshot injuries, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye informed the press on Sunday.
The fire inflicted significant damage to the structure, and several individuals are still missing, Chief Renye indicated.
Previously, he noted that “hundreds” of worshippers were present when, at roughly 10:25 local time (15:25 GMT), a gunman crashed a vehicle into the building.
The assailant then discharged rounds from an assault-style weapon, “shooting several times at people inside the church,” he stated.
Law enforcement responded quickly to the location, according to him, adding that officers “engaged in gunfire with that particular individual, neutralising the threat.” The suspect was killed at 10:33 local time, eight minutes following the initial firing.
“We are still trying to ascertain the exact source and cause of the fire,” the police chief remarked. “However, we suspect it was intentionally ignited by the assailant.”
Chief Renye also commended the “bravery” of congregants who managed to shield children within the church during the ordeal.
Investigators are examining the suspect’s residence and reviewing his mobile phone data as they seek to uncover a motive.
The FBI is spearheading the investigation and has dispatched crisis response teams, bomb experts, and others to the site, as per Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent overseeing the FBI’s Detroit branch.
Michigan State Police spokesperson Kim Vetter informed the media that officers have been addressing additional bomb threats at several other sites.
“We have responded and cleared those areas,” she stated.
In a statement, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledged that a shooter opened fire during the worship services, resulting in “multiple individuals sustaining injuries”.
“We are praying for peace and healing for everyone affected,” it stated.
Grand Blanc police noted that 100 FBI agents have been assigned to aid in the investigation.
President Donald Trump mentioned he had been briefed regarding the shooting and confirmed the FBI would be directing the federal inquiry.
In a post on Truth Social, he referred to it as “yet another calculated assault on Christians in the United States of America”.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi commented in a post on X that she had been briefed on “what seems to be a dreadful shooting and fire” at the church.
“Such brutality at a sacred place is disheartening and unnerving,” Bondi expressed. “I appeal for prayers for the victims of this awful incident.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer denounced the event, stating: “Violence anywhere, particularly in a place of worship, is intolerable,” while adding that she was keeping track of the situation.
Mitt Romney, former US senator from Utah and a prominent figure among Mormons, labeled the shooting a “catastrophe”, adding: “My brothers and sisters and their church are targets of aggression. Sending prayers for healing and solace.”
