The mother of Michigan church gunman Thomas Sanford shared a chilling message online about people who “constantly avoid accountability”, just days before her son carried out a deadly rampage.
Sanford, a former Marine and Iraq War veteran, drove his pickup truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township on Sunday, before opening fire on worshippers. At least four people were killed and eight others injured in the shocking attack.
The FBI is still investigating Sanford’s motive, but his mother’s since-deleted Facebook post has gone viral in the aftermath, sparking speculation about whether she was indirectly referring to her son.
Chilling post from Brenda Walters-Sanford surfaces online
Screenshots circulating on social media show that Sanford’s mother, Brenda Walters-Sanford, had shared a lengthy reflection about dealing with someone who refuses to take responsibility.
“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,” the post read.
She went on to say: “When I try to express how your actions have hurt me, you don’t listen with the intention of understanding; you listen with the intention of defending yourself. That’s not communication, that’s self-preservation of your ego.”
The message appeared to be part of a viral chain that has been reposted by many users, but its timing has raised eyebrows given what unfolded just days later. Walters-Sanford has since deleted her account.
Other posts from her profile reportedly included support for Donald Trump and family photos showing her son hunting.
Investigators probe motive behind deadly rampage
Authorities say Sanford stormed into the church while Sunday services were underway, ramming his US flag-adorned pickup truck into the building before opening fire.
He then set the church ablaze while hundreds of people were still inside, escalating the chaos. Emergency responders managed to evacuate survivors, but four people were killed and at least eight more were injured.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested Sanford may have specifically targeted members of the Mormon faith.
“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. “They are trying to understand more about this: how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note.”
The FBI has searched Sanford’s home but has not confirmed whether he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints himself.
Wider reaction to Michigan shooting
President Donald Trump described the attack as an “assault on Christians,” according to The Independent, while local leaders have called for unity as investigators continue to piece together Sanford’s background.
The deadly shooting has reignited discussions around security at places of worship, with some comparing it to other recent attacks targeting religious communities in the US.
For now, Sanford’s motive remains unclear, but with his mother’s unsettling Facebook post resurfacing, many are questioning whether there were warning signs before the tragedy unfolded.