Dad says sorry for son’s shooting at Michigan Mormon church

Michigan Church Shooting Incident

Grand Blanc, Michigan—The father of the individual who drove a truck into a Mormon church in Michigan expressed his apologies for his son’s actions on Monday. Thomas Sanford referred to the situation as a “nightmare” during an interview. Community members in Grand Blanc have shared their feelings of shock and sadness regarding the incident.

While the motives of the shooter, also named Thomas Sanford, remain unclear, new information about his romantic life and potential anti-Mormon sentiments has surfaced. “I feel horrible for all the hurting families,” Elder Sanford mentioned, adding that his son was a “family man” who “loved America.”

Notably, there has been a significant uptick in attacks on American churches since 2021.

“All I can say is my son did this,” Sanford remarked, emphasizing the tragedy of the event. Online snapshots of the shooter’s residence previously displayed campaign signs for Donald Trump, but by Monday, those signs had vanished.

The FBI is treating the church shooting as a case of “targeted” violence.

A neighbor expressed their disbelief regarding the attack, indicating it was “just terrible.” Chris Johns, a local city council candidate, recalled a conversation he had with Sanford just days prior that veered into extreme anti-Mormon rhetoric. According to Johns, Sanford labeled Mormonism as “Anti-Christ.” Some sources suggest that Sanford did not hold such biases earlier in life.

One acquaintance mentioned that Sanford had considered joining the Mormon Church for his girlfriend, whose family was supportive of the idea. However, Sanford unexpectedly distanced himself without providing an explanation.

In the aftermath of the attack, a community member expressed his disbelief as he observed national media flooding into Grand Blanc. “I never thought something like this would happen here, but then it did,” he noted.

With media reports potentially elevating the assailant’s notoriety, residents voiced concerns about the impact. As of Tuesday, four individuals had lost their lives, while seven others were reported to be in stable condition following the attack.

“That’s all forgiven,” one Grand Blanc resident shared. “Though I’m not a Mormon, I am a Christian, and I mourn with them.” Many local Christian churches have stepped in to support the Mormon community in light of the tragedy, including The River Church, which hosted a prayer service, and St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, offering its space for worship.