Investigators are still piecing together the motive behind the shocking church shooting in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, that left four dead and eight injured on Sunday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since made a confronting claim about the shooter, while police continue to investigate how the rampage unfolded.
The suspect, former U.S. Marine Thomas Jacob Sanford, reportedly drove his pickup truck (adorned with two American flags) into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before opening fire on congregants. Sanford also set the building on fire using what police believe was gasoline. He was later killed at the scene.
Authorities continue to investigate motive and planning
Leavitt, speaking about the FBI’s ongoing investigation, said officials are still trying to determine whether the attack was premeditated or if Sanford left any notes explaining his actions.
“From what I understand, based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is that this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith,” she said.
“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 are yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” Leavitt added.
President Donald Trump also responded to the tragedy, calling it a “targeted attack on Christians” on Truth Social. “This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” he wrote. “The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted… PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
Officials move to increase safety at places of worship
In response to the attack, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a plan to create a task force aimed at protecting houses of worship. “The escalation of violent attacks against people and places of faith is heinous and must end,” he wrote on X.
Abbott confirmed that the Texas Department of Public Safety will coordinate with federal and local law enforcement to safeguard religious sites, emphasizing the importance of enforcing the fundamental principle that “thou shall not kill.”
Authorities have confirmed that one victim remains in critical condition while seven others are stable. A separate incident was reported nearby when a man drove a red car through a barricade; police have detained him, though his identity and motives remain unclear, per The Independent.
Who was Thomas Jacob Sanford?
Sanford, 40, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008 and was deployed to Iraq in 2007, where he worked on repairing and maintaining military vehicles. His military career has been described as “stellar” by the Detroit Free Press.
After leaving the Marines, Sanford worked as a truck driver, including driving a Coca-Cola delivery truck and a tow truck. Social media posts showed him wearing a Trump shirt with the slogan “Make Liberals Cry Again.”
Investigators continue to sift through Sanford’s background as they attempt to uncover why he carried out the deadly attack at the Michigan church.