Thomas Jacob Sanford's father broke silence after his son was identified as a suspect in the Michigan Church shooting. He said his family is “devastated” by his son's fatal spree and that they have “no answer” as to why the decorated Marine would have committed such a heinous act.
Thomas Sanford, the elder, recalled his son as an affectionate spouse and father who died in a gunfight with police outside the Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, after he crashed his pickup vehicle through the front door and set the structure on fire.
Thomas Jacob Sanford's family is in ‘complete shock’
“He was an ex-Marine and we are completely in shock over this; we have no answers,” he told NBC News.
He requested people for privacy as they grieve their loss as well as the victims of the Michigan Church shooting.
In a different interview with the Detroit Free Press, Sanford said that he mentioned that his son was “under fire” once while serving in Iraq, but added that “most of the time he was fine.”
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‘It was my son that did it,’ Grieving father said
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‘It was my son that did it,’ Grieving father said
{{/usCountry}}Sanford refused to answer when asked what would have caused his son to carry out such an evil act.
“The only thing I can say is that it was my son that did it,” Sanford told Detroit Free Press. “As far as why? Irrelevant. It happened. We’re dealing with it. It’s been a nightmare.”
The horrific shooting and fire attack claimed the lives of four people and injured eight others, two of whom are still in critical condition.
Michigan shooting probe update
At a news conference on Monday, Grand Blanc Police Chief William Reyne stated that all churchgoers who were in attendance at the time of the incident have now been identified.
After crashing his Chevy Silverado pickup into the church, Sanford, 40, stepped out and used an assault weapon to shoot at attendees. At the time, hundreds of people were gathered inside, according to authorities.
Sanford may have had some resentment toward the Mormon church because of a terrible relationship in the past, but investigators are still looking for his motivation.