Federal authorities believe that the 40-year-old man accused of opening fire at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and killing four worshipers in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday “hated people of the Mormon faith,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Fox & Friends.”
During an interview on Monday morning, Leavitt said that based on her conversations with FBI Director Kash Patel, “All they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note.”
“All of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” Leavitt added.
FOX NEWS ALERT: @PressSec reveals the suspect in the Michigan church shooting “hated people of the Mormon faith.” pic.twitter.com/IriLn85r0H
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) September 29, 2025
Authorities have not said whether any writings or information point to a specific motive in the attack, but Leavitt said that the FBI is executing “multiple search warrants at the residences and family homes” of the suspected shooter.
The suspected gunman was identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a U.S. Marine veteran who was deployed to Iraq for nearly seven months in 2007. The 40-year-old man had no criminal history and lived in Burton, Michigan, which borders Grand Blanc Township. The pickup truck the alleged shooter used in the attack had two American flags displayed in its bed. In a photo uploaded to Facebook in 2019, the gunman was pictured wearing a “Trump 2020” shirt that read, “Make Liberals Cry Again,” NBC News reported.
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The attacker was carrying explosive devices when he drove his Chevy Silverado into the church building on Sunday, but authorities said it was unclear if he used them. Officials believe that the gunman used gas to start a fire in the church, a blaze that engulfed the entire building. The 40-year-old veteran allegedly opened fire on congregants with a semiautomatic rifle. Two people were killed from gunshot wounds, and two more people were found dead in the church after first responders arrived. Another eight people were wounded in the attack.
Police responded to the shooting within 30 seconds and pursued the shooter to a parking lot behind the church, where the suspect was shot and killed.
On Sunday night, the FBI asked anyone with information about the attack to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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