Thomas Jacob Sanford: Inside heroic 8-minute operation to neutralize Grand Blanc church shooter

It took Grand Blanc police about 30 seconds to respond to the shooting in a church. Within 8 minutes, Thomas Jacob Sanford was neutralized.

Published on: Sep 29, 2025 4:26 AM IST

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It took Grand Blanc police about 30 seconds to respond to the shooting in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, and about eight minutes to neutralize the suspect, Thomas Jacob Sanford. The 40-year-old Burton man opened fire inside the chapel during a Sunday service and then set the building on fire, killing at least two people and injuring several others. He died following a police pursuit, officials confirmed.

Law enforcement officers work near the burnt Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after a shooting and a fire took place (REUTERS)

At the time of the shooting, hundreds of people were inside the church. Sanford rammed a four-door pickup with two American flags and started shooting, Police Chief William Renye told reporters. Investigators believe he “deliberately” set the building on fire, Renye said.

The chief further revealed that officers responded to a 911 call and were at the church within 30 seconds. The shooter was killed about seven minutes later. Grand Blanc Township cops received the call of a shooting around 10:25 AM local time, police said.

Videos from the scene showed a massive fire in the church. It was put out soon, but left significant structural damage, photos showed. While officials said that Thomas Jacob Sanford set the fire deliberately, the motive behind the shooting is currently not known.

President Donald Trump said he has been briefed on the ‘horrendous’ shooting.

“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,” he posted on Truth Social.

“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!”

The shooting occurred the morning after Russell M. Nelson, the oldest-ever president of the Utah-based faith, died at 101. The next president is expected to be Dallin H. Oaks, per church protocol.

(With AP inputs)

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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