Shooting Incident at Michigan Church

Thomas Sanford, the shooter involved in a Michigan church incident, expressed his anger towards the local Mormon community and targeted the Latter-day Saints Church, which he set ablaze, denouncing the religion as “the Antichrist.”

Chris Johns, a 44-year-old candidate for the Burton City Council, recounted to the Detroit Free Press that he encountered Sanford while campaigning on September 22. Initially, Sanford seemed “very friendly” during their interaction, where they talked for around 20 minutes.

During their conversation, Sanford disclosed that he had served as a US Marine in Iraq and struggled with drug addiction upon his return.

However, the tone of their discussion shifted drastically when religion became the focus. Johns mentioned that Sanford dove into a critique of Mormonism, raising issues about its teachings, the figure of Jesus, and the history involving its founder, Joseph Smith.

“It was pretty standard anti-LDS material, something you’d come across on platforms like YouTube or TikTok,” Johns said, expressing uncertainty over how their dialogue would continue.

Sanford reportedly stated his belief that Mormonism represents an “Anti-Christ” ideology. When Johns later recognized Sanford in news reports and online posts, it struck him deeply.

Recalling the day of the unfortunate event, Sanford, 40, used an attack rifle after crashing his Chevrolet Silverado through the church doors while hundreds of worshipers were inside on that Sunday. The attack not only led to gunfire but also resulted in the church being engulfed in flames.

The incident has left at least four people dead and eight others injured, with authorities warning that the casualties could still rise as the full toll of the fire remains unclear.

Johns did not provide immediate comments when approached for his thoughts on the incident.