Gunman kills at least 2, wounds 8 at Mormon church in Michigan

At least two people have died, and eight others injured after an Iraq War veteran crashed his truck into the doors of a Mormon church in Michigan and opened fire during a morning service on Sunday.

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said a 40-year old male drove his vehicle through the doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the township at about 10:25 am and began firing an assault rifle at hundreds of church-goers.

Ten people were taken to hospital, where two were pronounced dead.

The Michigan rampage marked the 324th mass shooting in the US in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks such incidents and describes a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter.

It was also the third US mass shooting in less than 24 hours, including the North Carolina incident and a shooting a few hours later at a casino in Eagle Pass, Texas, that killed at least two people and injured several others.

Grand Blanc, a town of 7,700 people, is about 100 kilometers northwest of Detroit.

Investigators confirmed the gunman was Thomas Jacob Sanford, who had served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008.

Investigators said Sanford also started a fire in the church, which set the building ablaze, then fled. He later exchanged gunfire with police and was killed.

The fire completely consumed the church.

"We do believe that there were people up there who were near that fire, and they were unable to get out of the church. So, we do believe we will find additional victims once we're able to search that, once there's no signs of a fire reigniting," Renye added.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement: "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the world".

Investigators were still trying to determine Sanford's motive, and were searching his home and cellphone records.

Sanford was a resident of Burton, Michigan, about eight miles from Grand Blanc Township.

Social media accounts believed to be connected to Sanford show he's a family man, with a wife and a young son, the New York Post reported.

A GoFundMe page from 2015 raised more than $3,000 for the couple's now-10-year-old son who was born with congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare genetic condition where the pancreas releases too much insulin.

Pictures from the Sanfords' Facebook page show the family smiling, posing in the beds of pickup trucks or in a field of tall sunflowers, the New York Post reported.

"Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable," Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said. "I am grateful to the first responders who took action quickly. We will continue to monitor this situation and hold the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc close."

President Donald Trump wrote that this shooting was "yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America."

"The FBI was immediately on scene, and will be leading the Federal Investigation, and providing full support to State and Local Officials," he said on Truth Social.

Agencies contributed to this story.