The gunman responsible for the tragic Michigan church shooting made a chilling confession about his views on religion just days before carrying out the deadly attack.
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, drove his pickup truck into the Grand Blanc Township church on Sunday (September 28) morning before opening fire and setting the building ablaze.
The shooting claimed the lives of four people and injured eight. Sanford was later shot and killed by police in the church's parking lot.
Authorities are still piecing together the motive behind the attack, with the FBI investigating the incident as an act of targeted violence.
Sanford’s father expressed shock and devastation, stating the family had "no answers" and asking for privacy as they grieve both their loss and the victims’ families.
A Dark Conversation Just Days Before the Attack
Nearly a week before the massacre, Kris Johns, a resident running for city council in Burton, had an unsettling conversation with Sanford.
Johns, who was canvassing the neighborhood, spoke with the suspect about his life and experiences.
While their initial conversation was about Sanford's 10-year-old child, who has a rare medical condition, Congenital Hyperinsulinism, things took a dark turn when the topic shifted to religion.
“He was extremely nice at first,” Johns recalled, adding that Sanford shared personal struggles, including battles with addiction after his time in the military.
“But when the conversation turned to religion, I just wanted to get off the door and away from him,” Johns told journalist Dave Bondy.
The alleged shooter revealed that he had lived in Utah, a state with deep ties to Mormonism, and had a brief relationship with a Mormon woman.
He asked Johns about his beliefs and about the Mormon faith, including questions about the Mormon Bible, Jesus, and the history of the LDS church. "I just didn’t know what the next question was going to be," Johns told Detroit Free Press.
Sanford's remarks included standard anti-Mormon talking points commonly found on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.
“It was very much standard anti-LDS talking points,” the resident recalled, adding that Sanford called Mormons "the anti-Christ".
Despite the intensity of the conversation, Johns said he didn’t feel unsafe and never thought it was a situation that required police intervention.
However, when the news broke of the mass shooting, he realized the man he had spoken with was responsible for the carnage.
The Attack Unfolds
On a busy Sunday morning, Sanford drove his pickup truck into the church, armed and with two American flags raised in the truck bed.
Once he exited the vehicle, he began firing on the congregants inside before using gas to start a fire in the building.
Police later found improvised explosive devices at the scene, though it remains unclear if they were used.
Sanford's deadly rampage killed four people and left eight others injured, ranging in age from six to 78.
Survivors were treated for gunshot wounds and smoke inhalation. The child injured in the attack was stabilized and released.
The Chilling Social Media Posts and Possible Triggers
As the investigation into the gunman's background continues, new details are emerging about his personal life.
Sanford's loved ones, including his wife and parents, frequently shared pro-Trump messaging on social media.
Just days before the attack, his mother, Brenda Walters-Sanford, posted a cryptic message about people who avoid accountability, which may have been a personal reflection of her strained relationship with her son.
The post read: “Talking to someone who constantly avoids accountability is not a real conversation, it’s a battle. It’s a cycle of deflection, projection, twisting, and playing the victim."
Forensic psychiatrist Carole Lieberman suggested that such personal and hurtful messages from a mother could have been a "trigger" for Sanford, particularly given his struggles with PTSD after serving in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, per Daily Mail.
The FBI continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Our thoughts continue to be with everyone affected by this tragedy.