By Martin Shwenk Leade

Copyright indiatimes

The investigators are working urgently to understand the motive behind the Michigan Church shooting

Destruction and death came in the worst manner possible in multiple forms Sunday morning at a church in Grand Blanc Township, where at least four were killed and eight people were injured. Authorities have described the attack as an “act of violence”. The shooting started about 10:25 a.m., Sept. 28, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on McCandlish Road, where an armed gunman identified by police as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, rammed a pickup truck bearing two American flags into the chapel during Sunday morning services. The gunman set the church ablaze and used an assault rifle to open fire on hundreds of worshippers.Within eight minutes, Sanford was dead, too, said Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye. Two law enforcement officers — one from the township police department and one who works for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources — were on the scene within 30 seconds of the original 911 call, he said. They shot and killed Sanford, a former Marine, in the church parking lot.ALSO READ: Michigan Church shooting: Suspect Thomas Jacob Stanford’s emotional Facebook post on his child’s illness surfacesTwo more killed in Michigan Church shootingOne church member died at the scene from gunshot wounds, Renye said. Another churchgoer, who had also been shot, succumbed later Sunday at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital.Live EventsIt wasn’t until 8 p.m. Sunday that Renye confirmed the remains of two more individuals inside the church had been identified amid the charred debris. Renye told FreeP that others may have been trapped inside the burning building, unable to escape. Authorities continue to examine the remains of the structure, and additional victims could be identified.The search for more potential victims of a mass shooting at a Michigan church continued into Monday. Eight others remain hospitalized, seven are in stable condition and one is in critical condition.ALSO READ: Michigan Church shooter Thomas Jacob Sanford, a decorated US marine, had a turbulent personal life? Check detailsMichigan Church shooting motiveA source told ABC News that investigators are working urgently to understand the motive behind the Michigan Church shooting. Investigators are working to learn whether the church had been the target of threats in recent months and looking to see whether the timing could be connected to the death on Saturday of Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was 101 years old.Renye said during Sunday’s news conference that the FBI had assigned more than 100 agents to help in the investigation.Renye said the gunman “ran the vehicle through the front door, exited and started firing shots,” adding that it remains unclear what connection, if any, the suspect had to the church.ALSO READ: Candance Owens, who once called Charlie Kirk ‘brother’, skipped his Arizona funeral? The untold story behind her absencePresident Donald Trump said had been briefed on the shooting and fire, writing Sunday on social media, “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!” Trump said. Trump also wrote that the FBI is leading the investigation efforts. Trump said that while the suspect is dead, there is “still a lot to learn.”A Michigan school district said its campuses will be closed Monday following a deadly shooting, reported NPR News. Grand Blanc Community Schools System said all of its campuses will be closed Monday following the attack on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints service. The closure includes all 13 campuses, ranging from pre-school to high school.ALSO READ: Benny Blanco’s $50 million net worth is impressive but Selena Gomez’s jaw-dropping fortune will leave you speechlessAdd as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onMichigan Church shootingRussell M. NelsonThomas Jacob SanfordGrand Blanc TownshipGrand Blanc Township Police Departmentmichigan churchMichigan Church shooter thomas jacob stanfordwho is Michigan Church shooterwho is Thomas Jacob Sanford(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless

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