Thomas Jacob Sanford: 5 shocking things we know about Michigan church shooting suspect

Thomas Jacob Sanford was identified as the gunman who opened fire inside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc

Published on: Sep 29, 2025, 03:07:23 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Thomas Jacob Sanford was identified as the gunman who opened fire inside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on Sunday. The 40-year-old then apparently set the building on fire, killing at least two people and injuring several others. Police shot him after a short pursuit, officials confirmed.

Thomas Sanford was identified as the Michigan church shooter (X and AP)

Police Chief William Renye told reporters that investigators believe Sanford ‘deliberately’ set the building on fire. Videos on social media showed a massive plume of smoke coming out of the church. The blaze was eventually put out.

5 key things we know about Thomas Jacob Sanford

- Thomas Sanford was 40 years old. He was from neighboring Burton. Authorities on Sunday searched the suspect's residence before revealing his identity.

- Motive: Authorities declined to reveal the motive behind the shooting. Investigators did not provide details about the suspect, including whether he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

- The New York Post earlier reported that Thomas Sanford was a war veteran. According to the outlet, citing his mother's Facebook posts, the 40-year-old served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008.

- The Post further added that they found a GoFundMe page, linked to Sanford, from 2015. It raised more than $3,000 for the couple’s now-10-year-old son, who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism, or CHI.

- The report stated that photos from the Sanfords’ Facebook page show his family posing in the beds of pickup trucks or in a field of tall sunflowers.

Trump reacts to Grand Blanc shooting

President Trump said he has been briefed ‘on the horrendous shooting that took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Grand Blanc, Michigan’.

“The FBI was immediately on scene, and will be leading the Federal Investigation, and providing full support to State and Local Officials. The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America. The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do. In the meantime, PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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