The incident has resulted in at least four fatalities, including Sanford himself, and at least eight injuries, with ongoing investigations suggesting more casualties may be confirmed.

Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old Iraq War veteran and former Marine from Burton, Michigan, carried out a mass shooting at a Mormon church in Grand Blanc on September 28, 2025, driving his truck into the church during services, setting it on fire, and engaging in a gunfight with police.

Sanford's vehicle, a silver GMC Sierra pickup truck adorned with two large American flags, was used to crash into the church during a service attended by over 100 parishioners, marking the start of the attack at 10:25 a.m.

The attack resulted in at least 10 people shot, with two confirmed dead and several others critically injured; some victims remain hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

The church targeted was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, and photos show Sanford's truck crashing into the church before the shooting spree.

Sanford was killed in a shootout with responding officers after setting the church on fire, which caused the building to become engulfed in flames.

Sanford's background includes military service in fields such as CBRN defense and military police, with a history that includes time at Fort Leonard Wood and a diverse military career.

He was a 2003 graduate of Goodrich High School, known as a hunter, father, and veteran who was expected to deploy to Iraq, and had been registered to vote at his residence since 2017.

Sanford's social media and online records reveal he displayed a 2016 Trump political sign and participated in petitions related to local and state political issues, including efforts to repeal Michigan's COVID-19 emergency powers and restrict abortion rights.

Authorities are investigating potential links between Sanford's actions and Mormon leaders, and they fear more victims may be found among the burned ruins of the church.

While the motive remains unclear, Sanford had previously expressed faith in his family and had connections to political activism, but investigators have not established a definitive reason for the attack.