Just a few days before her ex-Marine son went on his fatal rampage, the mother of Michigan church shooter Thomas Sanford posted a concerning message on social media about the difficulties of interacting with someone who “constantly avoids accountability.”
Brenda Walters-Sanford, mother of Michigan church shooter Thomas Sanford, shared troubling thoughts on social media just days before the shooting. (Facebook / Brenda Walters-Sanford)
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Following the deadly Michigan Church shooting which has sent shockwaves among Christian community, screenshots of the alarming message that Sanford's mother, Brenda Walters-Sanford, wrote on Facebook before to Sunday's violence at the Grand Blanc Township Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are making the rounds online.
According to Daily Mail, her post on a now-deleted account read: “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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“I don’t owe my peace to someone who only wants to win an argument, not to understand my heart. My energy is not a prize for someone committed to misunderstanding me. At some point, you have to value yourself enough to stop begging someone to hear you,” her post added without mentioning anyone's name.
Brenda Walters-Sanford’s cryptic post before the shooting at the Michigan LDS church.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.
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Home/World News/Us News/Who is Brenda Walters-Sanford? Michigan Church shooter's mom troubling post goes viral; ‘…your actions have hurt me’
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