4 people dead and 9 injured in shooting at Michigan church, police say

GRAND BLANC, Mich. — At least four people are dead and several others were injured after a gunman opened fire at a church in central Michigan during Sunday service and set fire to the building, authorities said.

The suspect was identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old from the neighboring city of Burton, according to Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye. Sanford died after exchanging gunfire with responding officers in the church’s parking lot.

Hundreds of people were attending the service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, a suburb of Flint, Michigan, when the suspect rammed a pickup truck into the church, Renye said at an earlier news conference. He then exited the vehicle and fired “several rounds” at people inside the church with an assault rifle, Renye said.

At least one person died and 9 others were injured at a church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, after a man drove his vehicle into the building and opened fire. pic.twitter.com/L0i80GVY8L

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 28, 2025

Police believe the suspect also “deliberately” set the building on fire, which was extinguished by the Grand Blanc Township Fire Department, according to Renye. Videos on social media and local television stations showed flames and smoke billowing from the church.

Ten people suffered gunshot wounds, including two who were pronounced deceased. Seven of the hospitalized victims are stable, and one is in critical condition, Renye said during a 5 p.m. ET news conference.

Renye previously said authorities believed they would find more victims once they found the area where the fire was.

Suspect killed within minutes after police received 911 call

During the 5 p.m. ET news conference, Renye said authorities received a 911 call at about 10:25 a.m. and officers responded within about 30 seconds.

Earlier in the day, Renye said two officers, one from Grand Blanc Township and another from the state Department of Natural Resources, immediately responded to the scene and engaged the suspect in an exchange of gunfire.

The suspect was “neutralized” at around 10:33 a.m. in the church’s parking lot, according to Renye.

“They met the suspect and engaged in gunfire with that particular individual, neutralizing that suspect, and that suspect is no longer with us,” he said.

Shooting victims received treatment at local hospital

Victims were receiving medical treatment at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, according to Renye. The hospital confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that it cared for 10 people injured in the shooting and fire at the church.

“The hospital is fully staffed with experienced caregivers and able to care for all our patients,” a hospital spokesperson said in the statement. “Our hearts go out to our patients, their families, and the community—including the people worshipping when the tragic act of violence occurred.”

The incident occurred as nurses at the hospital were on strike, according to Teamsters Local 332, the union representing the nurses. Some nurses had left the picket line to assist first responders but were turned away due to the labor dispute, The Detroit News reported.

“We understand and appreciate the Teamsters’ instinct to care for their neighbors during this time of heartbreak, and we will not hesitate to reach out if we need additional assistance,” the hospital spokesperson said. “We look forward to coming together again soon to care for our community.”

Grand Blanc Township supervisor: ‘We are heartbroken’

Grand Blanc is about 60 miles northwest of Detroit, Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of about 7,700 people.

“We are heartbroken,” Grand Blanc Township Supervisor Scott Bennett said at an earlier news conference. “This kind of violence doesn’t happen in our community, and we are heartbroken that it came to Grand Blanc Township.”

Bennett added: “And we’re going to do everything we can to support the families, the victims, and our community getting through this situation.”

Law enforcement searching the suspect’s residence

Police said they will conduct search warrants on the suspect’s residence and will look into cellphone records.

Several law enforcement agencies were assisting local authorities in the investigation, including 100 FBI agents, Michigan State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Police added that they did not yet have a motive for the shooting or fire. Residents seeking to reunify with family members at the church were urged to call (248) 705-7352, which will connect callers to the Red Cross, which is at the scene helping people locate their loved ones.

Renye also announced that starting on Monday, residents can go to the Grand Blanc Township Police Department for counseling services.

Church member: ‘I am very shaken up’

As church attendees left the theater, some rushed to family members and friends waiting outside, hugging and weeping.

Survivors evacuated from the church were taken to the nearby NCG Trillium Cinema for “reunification and questioning,” an officer told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Stephanie Giddings, who lives in nearby Fenton, went to the reunification site to be close to her fellow church members. She said she had to leave work early because “I am very shaken up.”

“They’re family,” she said, noting that her daughter had been baptized recently at the chapel.

Trump responds to Michigan church shooting

In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump said the Federal Bureau of Investigation immediately responded to the scene in Grand Blanc. The FBI will be leading the federal investigation into the shooting and will provide “full support” to state and local officials, according to Trump.

“The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn,” Trump said in the post. “This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”

“The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do,” he added. “In the meantime, PRAY for the victims and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

‘A tragic act of violence’: Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement following the shooting, calling the incident a “tragic act of violence.”

“The Church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected,” the church’s spokesperson Doug Andersen said in the statement. “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,” he said. “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.”

Neighbors recount scene outside Michigan church

Phillip Cotter, a Clio resident, stood at the police cordon on Sunday morning. He said he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc but was not in attendance at the morning service.

“I know everyone who was there,” he said, choking up with emotion and tears welling up in his eyes.

“I don’t know what God has planned for us, but I trust him,” Cotter said.

Grand Blanc resident Tony Deck said he was sitting on his backyard patio about 10:15 a.m. ET, when he heard sirens coming from Saginaw Street, about 300 yards from the church.

“I drove up before a lot of the police and ambulances got here, got out of my truck and ran towards it to see if there was anything I could do to help,” he said. “There was a silver Chevy Silverado that had been driven into the side of the church — not even through the doors.”

“There were at least four yellow canvases over dead bodies that I could see at the time.”

As of noon, Deck said first responders had blocked off the area, preventing him from leaving. The church, he said, “is completely destroyed.”

Sheriff: ‘Entire church is on fire’

Christopher Swanson, sheriff of Genesee County, Michigan, posted an update on Facebook just before noon ET on Sunday.

“This is a dynamic scene,” Swanson said. “The entire church is on fire.”

“The people that were here have been evacuated. We do have victims here, we’re working on that,” he added.

Swanson said he was asked by the Grand Blanc Township police to share the information.

“The shooter is down. We do have multiple victims,” he said. “Just know that there’s a lot of things that are happening that we are not able to communicate just because of the work that needs to be done.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement on X that her office is monitoring the situation in Grand Blanc.

“My heart is breaking for the Grand Blanc community. Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable,” Whitmer wrote. “I am grateful to the first responders who took action quickly. We will continue to monitor the situation and hold The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc close.”

Members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, including Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Rep. Debbie Dingell, thanked officials, offered condolences to families of the victims, and offered support in statements on social media.

“We will know more in the coming days and weeks. And there will be more to say. But today, we send our strength to those involved who must now try and pick up the pieces and grieve,” Slotkin said.

FBI responding to Michigan church shooting

Federal law enforcement, including officials from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, responded to the shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Sept. 28.

“I am receiving briefings about what appears to be a horrific shooting and fire at an LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. @FBI and@ATFHQ agents are en route to the scene now,” Bondi wrote on X.

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

Shooting comes after Mormon church leader’s death

The shooting comes a day after the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints passed away.

Russell M. Nelson, the oldest person ever to lead the church, died late Sept. 27 at his Salt Lake City home. He was 101 years old.

Nelson’s tenure as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was marked by several sweeping policy changes, including a 2019 rollback of a policy that labeled same-sex member couples “apostates” and barred their minor children from religious rites.

Officials announced on Sunday that law enforcement officers will be deployed to places of worship in Los Angeles and New York City “out of an abundance of caution.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the New York City Police Department said in separate statements that agencies will provide additional resources and increase patrols at religious institutions across the two cities.

“The reports of a mass shooting and fire during Sunday services at an LDS church in Michigan are devastating,” Bass said in a statement on X. “This type of violence is reprehensible and should have no place in our country. My heart is with the families impacted and the entire Grand Blanc community.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also decried the shooting in Michigan, saying the “escalation of violent attacks against people and places of faith is heinous and must end.” Abbott said in a statement on X that he has directed the state’s Department of Public Safety to form task forces with local and federal law enforcement to “better safeguard our places of worship.”

The shooting is the latest attack on a place of worship in the United States. On Aug. 27, a shooter opened fire through the windows of a church in Minneapolis, killing two children and injuring at least 18 others, including 15 children and three parishioners in their 80s.