Iraq War Veteran Identified As Suspect In Deadly Michigan Church Attack

Authorities have identified the man behind Sunday’s deadly attack on a Michigan church as 40-year-old Thomas Sanford, an Iraq War veteran and former U.S. Marine.

Sanford rammed his Chevy Silverado into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township on September 28 before opening fire on worshippers. At least four people were killed and eight others injured in the assault. He also set the church ablaze, reducing the building to rubble. Officials fear additional victims may be discovered in the ruins.

Police said Sanford died at the scene during a shootout with officers who responded within seconds of the first 911 call. Investigators confirmed he was the sole suspect.

Sanford’s truck displayed two large American flags and deer antlers fixed to the bumper. Authorities later discovered improvised explosive devices on church grounds, prompting a bomb squad to sweep the site and his nearby home.

Witnesses described chaos erupting just after the congregational hymn of the 10 a.m. service when hundreds of worshippers were inside. “At first we thought it was an accident,” one church member told local media. “But then he started shooting.”

Paul Kirby, 38, said he rushed outside to help, only to come under fire. “He started shooting at me… a bullet clipped my leg with shrapnel,” he said. Kirby fled inside to rescue his wife and children before escaping through the back with several others.

Grand Blanc residents later reported seeing four bodies covered with yellow canvases outside the smouldering church.

Social media accounts linked to Sanford depict him as a family man with a wife and young son. A 2015 fundraiser page indicated the child was born with a rare genetic condition requiring treatment.

Sanford’s mother confirmed in a Facebook post that her son served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008. Authorities are still investigating his motive.