**Who’s Thomas Sanford? Ex-Marine Behind Michigan Church Shooting That Killed Four**
*By Snehil Singh | September 29, 2025, 11:04 AM*
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**The Incident**
Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old former United States Marine, has been identified as the suspect in a deadly shooting at a Michigan church. The tragic event unfolded on Sunday when Sanford allegedly rammed his vehicle into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located in Grand Blanc Township. Following the crash, he opened fire on worshippers inside and set the church on fire. The blaze was later contained by firefighters.
At least four people were killed, and eight others were injured in the attack. Sanford was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police just 11 minutes after the first 911 call was made.
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**Marine Service Background**
Official records show that Sanford served in the United States Marines from June 2004 to June 2008. During his service, he worked as an automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator. He was deployed to Iraq between August 2007 and March 2008, attaining the rank of sergeant. His last posting was with the 2nd Maintenance Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Sanford received several decorations throughout his military career, including:
– Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
– Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
– Iraq Campaign Medal
– Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
– National Defense Service Medal
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**Community Reactions**
Ryan Lopez, a former classmate of Sanford’s, expressed shock over the incident in an interview with the *New York Post*. He described Sanford as a “normal” person who enjoyed hunting.
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**Personal Life**
Court records indicate that Sanford married his high school sweetheart in 2016. The couple has a 10-year-old son who was born with a rare genetic condition. A GoFundMe page from 2015 revealed that the family sought financial assistance for their son’s medical care. According to local reports, Sanford took leave from his job as a Coca-Cola truck driver to provide care for his child.
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**Official Responses**
President Donald Trump praised the FBI’s swift response to the shooting via social media, writing:
“PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
The FBI is deploying 100 agents to assist local authorities with the investigation.
Police Chief William Renye confirmed that officers arrived on the scene within 30 seconds of the first 911 call and neutralized Sanford about eight minutes later. At this time, authorities have not determined a motive for the attack.
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*Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragic event.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/who-was-thomas-sanford-michigan-church-shooter/story