MICHIGAN Church Attack: 2 dead, many wounded at Mormon Church

army judge

Super Moderator
What is happening to our beloved nation?

Some attribute today's violence to a sad, tragic murder in NYC in March of 1964.

Others, usually seen on news networks yammering about events of today, along with caustic rhetoric.

The horrifying events playing out hourly, shootings, stabbings, armed robberies, brutal assaults against citizens using public transport, sexual assaults, massive sexual molestation of innocent children, where we learn mother's and fathers have slaughtered their offspring.

MURDER OF KITTY GENOVESE

1964 murder in New York City, associated with the bystander effect
In the early hours of March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old bartender, was raped and stabbed to death outside the apartment building where she lived in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City, United States. Two weeks after the murder, The New York Times published an article claiming that thirty-seven witnesses saw or heard the attack, and that none of them called the police or came to her aid. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the extent of public apathy was exaggerated. While some neighbors heard her cries, many did not realize the severity of the situation. The incident prompted inquiries into what became known as the bystander effect, or "Genovese syndrome," and the murder became a staple of U.S. psychology textbooks for the next four decades. Researchers have since uncovered major inaccuracies in the Times article, and police interviews revealed that some witnesses had attempted to contact authorities.







The Brief


    • Multiple people were shot at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc on Sunday morning.
    • The shooter and one of the victims he shot is dead.
    • The church is now on fire.
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - Two people are dead, including the shooter, and nine others are hospitalized after a shooting Sunday morning at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, according to police.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said a 40-year-old Burton man rammed a vehicle into the church on McCandlish Road before opening fire on hundreds of people who were worshiping.

According to Renye, the suspect shot 10 people before a confrontation with police that ended with him being shot dead.


Those 10 victims were brought to a hospital, where one has died. Several other victims are in critical condition as of 1 p.m.

In addition to shooting victims, Renye said the suspect also set the church on fire. The police chief believes more victims may be found inside the church once the fire is extinguished and it is safe to enter.


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Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said a 40-year-old Burton man rammed a vehicle into the church on McCandlish Road before opening fire on hundreds of people who were worshiping.
"The shooter is down, we do have multiple victims, the entire church is on fire," Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said after the shooting.

Witness Brian Taylor said churchgoers thought someone had accidentally hit the building at first. He said church started at 10 a.m. and the service was happening when there was a loud noise and a crack in the chapel wall.


"We heard a large, just a large bang," he said.

Taylor said churchgoers went outside to help, but soon realized it wasn't an accident. He described seeing a man he did not recognize driving a truck armed with a rifle before the shooting started.

As Taylor and his wife tried to drive away, he said the suspect shot at their vehicle, causing their windshield to shatter. Taylor suffered a hand injury from shrapnel.

The church released a statement after the shooting:

"A tragic act of violence occurred today at a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

"During Sunday worship services a gunman opened fire, and early reports indicate that multiple individuals were injured. We ask for cooperation with local authorities as details become available.

"The Church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected. We offer thanks to the emergency responders who are assisting victims and families.

"We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the world. In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ. Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved."

What they're saying:

United States Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that agents from the FBI and ATF are headed to the scene.



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What's been said in that article suggests that the shooter may have had some kind of hatred of Mormons. He wasn't a church member with a grudge against fellow church members. A friend of mine once observed, and I think he may be correct, that more wars have fought over religion than any other single reason. Ironic giving that most of the world's religions teach against violence, murder especially. Yet in today's world many of the violent clashes we hear about are between people of different faiths. It sometimes make me wonder if atheists are correct when they claim the world would be much safer and saner without if there were no Gods to worship.
 
RECENT UPDATES:

Grand Blanc Township, Michigan — Authorities have identified the gunman responsible for the deadly attack at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, a resident of Burton, Michigan.

Sanford, a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, according to social media posts by his family, launched a violent assault on the congregation late Sunday morning.

Investigators say Sanford drove his Chevy Silverado into the church's entrance before opening fire with a semi-automatic rifle on worshippers inside.

At least two people were killed and nine others wounded in the attack, with authorities warning the death toll could rise once investigators are able to fully search the building.



Hundreds of worshippers had been inside at the time.

Emergency responders said several victims were transported to local hospitals, while others remain unaccounted for.



Witnesses reported seeing elderly men lying motionless on the ground, and police believe additional victims may still be inside the burned structure.

Following the shooting, Sanford allegedly set the church on fire. Drone footage and aerial images show the building engulfed in flames, with a column of thick black smoke visible for miles. The roof later collapsed as fire crews battled the inferno.

Scanner traffic and police sources revealed that Sanford's vehicle emitted a beeping noise, prompting concerns about an explosive device.

The bomb squad is actively investigating several suspicious items found on church property, which officials fear could be improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Sanford lived on Atherton Road in Burton, Michigan, where police were seen conducting operations on Sunday afternoon.

Public property records link the residence to Sanford, who also owns a 2008 GMC Sierra, consistent with the vehicle used in the attack.

Social media accounts linked to Sanford depict him as a family man, married with a young son.

A 2015 GoFundMe campaign raised more than $3,000 for the child, who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), a rare genetic disorder. Family photos posted online showed the Sanfords smiling together in pickup trucks and sunflower fields — a sharp contrast to Sunday's horrific violence.

Sanford was fatally shot by police outside the church during the confrontation. Video from the scene shows his body lying near the burning building as first responders secured the perimeter.

Law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal level are working together to determine Sanford's motives.

Early findings suggest he may have struggled with mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and investigators are also examining possible anti-Mormon rhetoric posted online.

At least 15 to 20 law enforcement vehicles, including unmarked units, responded to the scene along South Saginaw Road. The area remains sealed off as the investigation continues.

Officials have scheduled a press conference for further details are expected regarding the number of casualties, the condition of the injured, and whether any explosives were confirmed.

 
The ALLEGED PERPETRATOR of the outrageous, inhumane, cruel assault on religious worshippers was a former Marine, never an Army Soldier.


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Grand Blanc Township, Michigan — Authorities have identified the gunman responsible for the deadly attack at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, a resident of Burton, Michigan.

Sanford, a U.S. Marine veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008, according to social media posts by his family, launched a violent assault on the congregation late Sunday morning.

Investigators say Sanford drove his Chevy Silverado into the church's entrance before opening fire with a semi-automatic rifle on worshippers inside.

At least two people were killed and nine others wounded in the attack, with authorities warning the death toll could rise once investigators are able to fully search the building.

Hundreds of worshippers had been inside at the time of the vicious assault.

Emergency responders said several victims were transported to local hospitals, while others remain unaccounted for.

Witnesses reported seeing elderly men lying motionless on the ground, and police believe additional victims may still be inside the burned structure.

Following the shooting, Sanford allegedly set the church on fire. Drone footage and aerial images show the building engulfed in flames, with a column of thick black smoke visible for miles. The roof later collapsed as fire crews battled the inferno.

Scanner traffic and police sources revealed that Sanford's vehicle emitted a beeping noise, prompting concerns about an explosive device.

The bomb squad is actively investigating several suspicious items found on church property, which officials fear could be improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Sanford lived on Atherton Road in Burton, Michigan, where police were seen conducting operations on Sunday afternoon.

Public property records link the residence to Sanford, who also owns a 2008 GMC Sierra, consistent with the vehicle used in the attack.

Social media accounts linked to Sanford depict him as a family man, married with a young son.

A 2015 GoFundMe campaign raised more than $3,000 for the child, who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), a rare genetic disorder.

Family photos posted online showed the Sanfords smiling together in pickup trucks and sunflower fields — a sharp contrast to Sunday's horrific violence.

Sanford was fatally shot by police outside the church during the confrontation. Video from the scene shows his body lying near the burning building as first responders secured the perimeter.

Law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal level are working together to determine Sanford's motives.

Early findings suggest he may have struggled with mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and investigators are also examining possible anti-Mormon rhetoric posted online.

At least 15 to 20 law enforcement vehicles, including unmarked units, responded to the scene along South Saginaw Road. The area remains sealed off as the investigation continues.

Officials have scheduled a press conference for further details are expected regarding the number of casualties, the condition of the injured, and whether any explosives were confirmed.


 
Early findings suggest he may have struggled with mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and investigators are also examining possible anti-Mormon rhetoric posted online.

I'm sorry to say that I'm not surprised if that turns out to be correct. It highlights two of America's long running problems: mental health and hatred of one or more religions and the people who practice those religions. They are two distinctly different problems, but they sometimes come together to create tragedies like this one. There is a much larger mental health crisis in this country (and in many other nations too) than most people recognize and the nation as a whole seems unwilling to seriously tackle the problem.

The ALLEGED PERPETRATOR of the outrageous, inhumane, cruel assault on religious worshippers was a former Marine, never an Army Soldier.

While justifiably proud of your Army service, interservice rivalry sometimes goes a bit too far. (Though I get where that comes from; I've known members of each of the military branches and each, without exception, felt that their branch was the best of all of them.) Members of the Army are no less prone to the kinds mental problems this former Marine had.

All members of our armed forces, whatever their branch, have the potential to be put into situations that are highly stressful and sometimes extremely dangerous. I think that's more true for ground combat troops than the rest because they have the stress of being in relatively close contact with the enemy, knowing the enemy is hidden out there somewhere just waiting to put a bullet in their head or chest, experiencing the sights and sounds of close combat, and the screams of wounded and dying combatants on both sides. IMO we don't do enough to help those soldiers and marines who experience ground combat deal with the trauma that those conditions can cause. Few come out of close combat unchanged in some way.

I am proud of all our service members — in every branch — because they willingly do the job of keeping this country safe from those nations and foreign terrorist organizations that would seek to do great harm to this country and its interests abroad. Most other nations rely on a draft to fill their military ranks. The U.S. is fortunate enough to have sufficient numbers of men and women willing to voluntarily do the job to protect the rest of us.
 
What's been said in that article suggests that the shooter may have had some kind of hatred of Mormons. He wasn't a church member with a grudge against fellow church members. A friend of mine once observed, and I think he may be correct, that more wars have fought over religion than any other single reason. Ironic giving that most of the world's religions teach against violence, murder especially. Yet in today's world many of the violent clashes we hear about are between people of different faiths. It sometimes make me wonder if atheists are correct when they claim the world would be much safer and saner without if there were no Gods to worship.
John said it long ago:

 
What's been said in that article suggests that the shooter may have had some kind of hatred of Mormons. He wasn't a church member with a grudge against fellow church members. A friend of mine once observed, and I think he may be correct, that more wars have fought over religion than any other single reason. Ironic giving that most of the world's religions teach against violence, murder especially. Yet in today's world many of the violent clashes we hear about are between people of different faiths. It sometimes make me wonder if atheists are correct when they claim the world would be much safer and saner without if there were no Gods to worship.
It's not religion that is the problem...It's nasty evil people perverting religion that is the problem.
 
It's an age-old religious precept. "Worship my God, or I'll torture, imprison, or kill you, or you'll just go to Hell."
When we consider that most organized religions worship the same God (although called by different names with slightly different traditions), it is foolish to fight over it. Even as a child, religious war always baffled me. It makes no sense.
 
I am not responding to nonsense posts blaming this on religion. People who blame religion have none and easily point the fingers at others. In our church we don't talk politics at all nor do we bring up current events other than to turn to the teachings of the Bible and call EVIL what is EVIL and pray for better days.

We sing songs, worship and plant new seeds based upon Missionary work. We don't force anyone to listen nor bring anyone who doesn't want to fellowship or doesn't need God in their lives. Religion is NOT the cause of the world's problems but would solve the worlds problems for if this man had religion in his life and fellowship then he wouldn't have been so alone for the devil to work on him to do this evil deed. Maybe it is more a result of VA mental health funding cuts from the Trump administration? Significant cuts have been made in VA and other mental health areas which greatly affect those who suffer from it.
 
I am not responding to nonsense posts blaming this on religion. People who blame religion have none and easily point the fingers at others. In our church we don't talk politics at all nor do we bring up current events other than to turn to the teachings of the Bible and call EVIL what is EVIL and pray for better days.

Amen, my brother in Christ, Amen.

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It's not religion that is the problem...It's nasty evil people perverting religion that is the problem.

And the people following them. Religion provides the vehicle for them to claim that their views are the only correct ones because they come from God. So they argue and fight about differences that don't really mean much in the scheme of things instead of focusing on the core message of God. The basic tenets of the Abramhic religions are the same, and yet many the members of those religions forget that. If they took those tenets more seriously, we'd have a lot happier world.
 
What my parents stressed to me and was also stressed in church, was to be kind and loving to others...all others. Black, white, yellow, brown, red, gay, bi, trans, from all nations and religions (I grew up in a very diverse area), it didn't matter. "Do unto others" were the words to live by.
Dad was born in 1925 and Mom in 1930...they were incredibly progressive for their time. Most of my friends with "hippie" parents were not taught in such a way.

We are all different and that makes this country/world interesting... how very boring it would be if we all thought and looked the same.

It makes me sad because it seemed, just for a bit, this country was going forward in racial relations. Not now.
 
but would solve the worlds problems for if this man had religion in his life and fellowship then he wouldn't have been so alone for the devil to work on him to do this evil deed.

What's needed is for those who claim to follow a particular religion is for them to not just talk about it but also live by it. I know too many people who claim to practice religion X (usually because that's the religion their family claimed to follow) but don't actually apply the principles and teachings of that religion in their daily lives. Just showing up once a week to church, temple, synagogue, mosque, etc is all well and good but if that's all a person does then he or she is using those gatherings for show rather than as a guide for living. We have too many of those, unfortunately.
 
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