Grand Blanc Community Schools in southeastern Michigan will be closed on Monday after a violent attack at a local Mormon church left four people dead and at least eight injured. Superintendent Trevor Alward notified families via email on Sunday evening.
Police say an ex-Marine drove a pickup truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township late Sunday morning, opened fire during worship services, and set the building on fire. He was fatally shot by police minutes later, the Associated Press reports.
Hundreds of congregants were inside at the time. Authorities said some shielded children and guided them to safety as flames spread. Two victims were found in the rubble as firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the blaze. One person remains in critical condition.
Investigators identified the suspect as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton. He served in the Marines from 2004 to 2008, including a deployment to Iraq. Federal agents are leading the investigation, calling it an “act of targeted violence.”
Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer said her heart was “breaking for the community.” President Donald Trump praised the FBI’s rapid response in a social media post.
Neighboring congregations went into lockdown after the shooting, and local churches hosted prayer services Sunday evening. “Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection,” church spokesperson Doug Anderson said.
Officials said the investigation continues and that some people remained unaccounted for early Monday as crews sifted through the burned structure.
Grand Blanc Community Schools is a PK-12 district with 13 schools, according to the US Education Department. The district serves about 7,500 students. The high school has an enrollment of about 2,500 students.
