At least four people have been killed and eight others injured in a shooting and fire at a church belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan in the United States, according to police.

The suspect, named as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford from the nearby town of Burton, is also dead after being shot on Sunday by responding police officers, eight minutes after the first emergency call was made, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said.

Renye told a media conference on Sunday evening that two additional bodies had been “discovered in the church”, and that some people remained unaccounted for as “the entire church has not been cleared because it’s a total loss due to the fire”.

Fire investigator, James Deir, the special agent in charge of the Detroit Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), told the same media conference that investigations so far had indicated that the “suspect used an accelerant of some sort, we believe, gasoline, and lit the church on fire”.

Earlier, Renye said that one of the injured people was in a critical condition, while the other seven are stable. The wounded are being treated at the local Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, according to US media reports.

Hundreds of people were in the building for a Sunday morning service when the alleged gunman, whose motive remains unknown, ran a vehicle into the front door of the church, exited, and opened fire with an assault rifle, Renye added.

A four-door pick-up truck with two US flags displayed in the truck bed remained on the scene.

Social media footage showed the church engulfed in flames, which Renye said had been put out.

The police chief also said that the shooter’s home would be searched and phone records examined as investigators look for a motive.

Speaking to the AFP news agency, a woman who lives near the church said: “My husband heard people screaming; one lady yelling for help.”

Another woman, who gave her name as Paula and who had been inside the church, told the WXYZ television station about her escape from the building.

“I lost friends in there, and some of my little primary children that I teach on Sundays were hurt. It’s very devastating for me,” she said.

‘Unacceptable’

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer condemned Sunday’s shooting in a statement, adding that her heart was breaking for the Grand Blanc community. “Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable,” she said.

US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “horrendous” shooting.

“The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

FBI agents are on the ground, helping the police with the investigation, FBI chief Kash Patel wrote on X.

“Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this terrible tragedy,” he said.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are informally known as the Mormons. Grand Blanc, a town of 7,700 people, is located about 100km (60 miles) northwest of Detroit.

The shooting came the day after the death of the 101-year-old Mormon leader Russell Nelson.

Grand Blanc Township church shooting: 5 dead after shooting, fire at LDS church

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) – Five people are dead, including the shooter, and eight others are hospitalized after a shooting Sunday morning at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, according to police.

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said a 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, of Burton, rammed a vehicle into the church on McCandlish Road before opening fire on hundreds of people who were worshiping.

Police sources said Sanford was a Marine veteran who spent time in Iraq. According to sources, he had a wife and a son. Two American flags were flying from the back of his truck when he hit the church building with it.

The FBI said Sunday night that the attack was being investigated “as a targeted act of violence.”

Thomas Jacob Sanford (Photo: Facebook)

What we know:

According to Renye, the suspect shot 10 people before a confrontation with police that ended with him being shot dead.

Those 10 victims were brought to a hospital, where two people have since died. As of 5 p.m. Sunday, seven victims were listed as stable and one is in critical condition.

In addition to shooting victims, Renye said the suspect also set the church on fire. Later Sunday night, police said an additional two victims were found inside the church after crews began entering the destroyed building. Those two victims had not been shot.

Renye said there are still people unaccounted for, and more people who succumbed to the fire will likely be discovered when the entire building can safely be searched.

“The shooter is down, we do have multiple victims, the entire church is on fire,” Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said after the shooting.

An official with the ATF said suspected explosives were found, but it is unclear if those were involved in the fire. It is known that gasoline was used to ignite the building.

In addition to the shooting and fire, Michigan State Police said authorities have been handling reports of bomb threats in the area after the attack.

Timeline:

Renye said a call was received about a shooting at the church at 10:25:32 a.m. Within seconds, at 10:25:57 a.m., he said officers were on the scene.

By 10:33:44 a.m., Sanford was dead after being shot by police.

Local perspective:

Witness Brian Taylor said churchgoers thought someone had accidentally hit the building at first. He said church started at 10 a.m. and the service was happening when there was a loud noise and a crack in the chapel wall.

“We heard a large, just a large bang,” he said.

Taylor said churchgoers went outside to help, but soon realized it wasn’t an accident. He described seeing a man he did not recognize driving a truck armed with a rifle before the shooting started.

As Taylor and his wife tried to drive away, he said the suspect shot at their vehicle, causing their windshield to shatter. Taylor suffered a hand injury from shrapnel.

The church released a statement after the shooting:

“A tragic act of violence occurred today at a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

“During Sunday worship services, a gunman opened fire, and early reports indicate that multiple individuals were injured. We ask for cooperation with local authorities as details become available.

“The Church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected. We offer thanks to the emergency responders who are assisting victims and families.

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the world. In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ. Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”

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What they’re saying:

United States Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that agents from the FBI and ATF are headed to the scene.

“Such violence at a place of worship is heartbreaking and chilling. Please join me in praying for the victims of this terrible tragedy,” she wrote.

FBI Director Kash Patel echoed what Bondi said, writing on X that “violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act.”

President Donald Trump also responded to the shooting, writing on Truth Social that “this epidemic of violence in our country must end, immediately!”

What we don’t know:

No further details about the suspect have been released. It is unclear if he was a member of the church.

What’s next:

Police are now searching for a motive for the attack. As of 3 p.m., authorities were searching the suspect’s Burton home for any clues. That home is about 15 minutes from the church.

The city is providing resources for those impacted by the shooting. These services will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Genesys Health Club. Then, services will be available Wednesday through Friday at the Grand Blanc Senior Center.

Multiple people are shot at Michigan Mormon church that is on fire after active shooter, cops say

Multiple people were shot at a Mormon church in Michigan, and the shooter is “down,” police said.

The shooting broke out at the Church of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 65 miles north of Detroit, just after 11 a.m. local time Sunday, Grand Blanc police said.

“There’s has been an active shooter at the church of Latter Day Saints on McCandlish Rd. There are multiple victims and the shooter is down,” police said.

Authorities said that there was no ongoing threat to the public, but that the church was “actively on fire” following the shooting. It was not immediately clear how many people were shot and the extent of their injuries.

Footage showed large flames engulfing much of the building as thick, gray plumes of smoke blew across the surrounding area.

They urged people to stay away from the area.

A reunification center was set up near the church, which is located near residential areas and a Jehovah’s Witness church in Grand Blanc, a community of about 8,000 people just outside Flint.

This is a breaking news story, check back for updates…