Four Killed in Attack on Northern US Mormon Church

At least four people were killed and several others wounded on Sunday after a shooter targeted a Mormon church in Michigan, authorities confirmed. US President Donald Trump described the incident as part of a national “epidemic of violence.”

Police in northern Michigan reported that the attacker first rammed the church with a vehicle, then opened fire with an assault rifle, and subsequently set the building on fire.

• The attacker, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, was killed by police in the parking lot eight minutes after the first emergency call.
• Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye stated that two additional victims were found among the debris of the burnt-down church, bringing the death toll to four.
• At least eight others were wounded, one in critical condition.

AFP journalists observed a large police presence at Sanford’s home in the nearby town of Burton. US media reports noted that he had grown up locally and was a military veteran, though authorities provided few further details.

Images of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, a suburb of Flint, showed most of the building reduced to ashes.

• Photos revealed the truck used to ram the church, adorned with two US flags in the rear.
• FBI Special Agent Reuben Coleman confirmed that the FBI is leading the investigation, treating the attack as targeted violence.
• Chief Renye noted that hundreds were inside the church when the attack occurred, and more victims could be found among the debris.

President Trump called the shooting “horrendous”, describing it as another targeted attack on Christians in the United States.

The Mormon Church, whose leader had passed away the previous night at age 101, called the attack a “tragic act of violence”, adding: “Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”

Founded in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints identifies as a Christian denomination but bases its doctrines on the Book of Mormon, which followers believe contains a fuller account of Jesus Christ’s teachings. The church, headquartered in Utah, has millions of adherents worldwide.

The United States has a long history of firearm-related violence, and recent weeks have seen soaring tensions due to several high-profile incidents:

Sunday’s attack comes one month after the Minnesota church shooting. In the wake of rising violence, political divisions have deepened, with Trump targeting left-wing groups he accuses of being “domestic terrorists.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

The attack has reignited national debate over gun control, public safety, and political rhetoric, highlighting the persistent risk of targeted violence at places of worship in the United States.