**Who’s Thomas Sanford, Ex-Marine Who Burned Michigan Church, Killed 4**
*By Snehil Singh | Sep 29, 2025 | 11:04 AM*
A tragic shooting incident unfolded at a Michigan church on Sunday, leaving at least four people dead and eight others injured. Authorities have identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old former United States Marine.
### The Incident
According to reports, Sanford rammed his vehicle into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located in Grand Blanc Township and then opened fire on worshippers inside. After the shooting, he set the church on fire. The blaze was later contained by emergency responders.
Sanford was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police approximately 11 minutes after the first 911 call was made.
### Military Service Background
Thomas Sanford served in the United States Marines from June 2004 to June 2008. During his military career, he worked as an automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator. He was deployed to Iraq from August 2007 to March 2008 and attained the rank of sergeant.
His final posting was with the 2nd Maintenance Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Sanford was awarded several military decorations, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal.
### Personal Life and Community Impact
Sanford was described by a former classmate, Ryan Lopez, as a “normal” person who enjoyed hunting. In 2016, Sanford married his high school sweetheart, and together they have a 10-year-old son.
Court records and a GoFundMe campaign from 2015 reveal that the family was seeking medical funds for their son, who was born with a rare genetic condition. Reports also indicate that Sanford took leave from his job as a truck driver for Coca-Cola to care for his son.
### Official Response and Investigation
President Donald Trump praised the FBI’s swift response to the attack, urging an end to the “epidemic of violence” in the country. In a social media post, he stated:
“PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
The FBI has deployed 100 agents to assist local authorities with the investigation. Police Chief William Renye noted that officers arrived on the scene within 30 seconds of the first 911 call and neutralized Sanford about eight minutes later.
As of now, the motive behind the attack remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.
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