US investigators identified Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old man from Burton city, as the suspect of Sunday’s (US time) mass shooting at a Michigan church. As per military records and social media post cited by American news outlets, he was an Iraq War veteran. The man in focus is believed to have killed at least 4 people and injured 8 others, in addition to having allegedly set fire to the church.
Authorities ultimately revealed Sanford was killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. The FBI has since taken over the investigation and is treating as an “act of targeted violence,” according to Reuben Coleman, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Detroit Field Office.
James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division, disclosed that the suspect used gasoline to set the church building ablaze after the attack. Officials also said that the alleged shooter rammed a vehicle through the front of the place of worship during as a large gathering had come together for a service. After that, he opened fired on congregants, and then went on to set it on fire.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye offered more insight into the ongoing investigation, revealing that the shooter used an assault rifle to open gunfire at the church. During a news conference on Sunday, Deir further announced that some the gunman used an accelerant to intentionally set the place of worship on fire. Some suspected explosive devices were also located. Deir added, “But as far as using them to initiate the blaze, we can’t say that.”
Who was Thomas Jacob Sanford?
The 40-year-old man who is said to have driven a car into a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan was a US Marine veteran who served from 2004 to 2008, according to a US Marine Corps spokesperson’s confirmation to CNN.
They further shared that Sanford was a mechanic and vehicle recovery operator, and was deployed for a year during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Moreover, Thomas Sanford received several honours for his service at the time.
Back in 2007, a local news profile of the Michigan shooting suspect from 2007 detailed that he deployed to Japan before his service in Iraq.
Post on his mother’s Facebook page further showed that he was a hunter. A picture of him posing with deer and others has since been going viral on the web.
A motive for Sanford’s alleged actions has yet to be confirmed.
About the suspected Michigan church shooter’s education, family
Sanford graduated from Goodrich High School in 2004, as per a school website’s archived page, which listed him as a veteran alumni.
Among other information circulating about the man in question, surfaced social media accounts linked to his family members indicated that he was married and had at least one child. In 2015, a GoFundMe page suggested that they attempted to raise funds and donations for Sanford’s young son over medical reason as he was born with a rare genetic disorder called congenital hyperinsulinism.
In the wake of the young child’s medical condition, the family was hit financially. CNN cited another local news article stating that Sanford had to briefly leave his work as a Coca-Cola truck driver in the hour of need.
“We are proud of our child. I spent four years in the Marine Corps and was in Iraq and this is still the most unique thing to deal with,” Thomas Jacob Sanford said of the situation at hand at the time in a separate article.
More information will be added.