Church tragedy ‘does not define Grand Blanc and who we are’: Community reels from shooting, fire

By Max Bryan, Medianews Group

Grand Blanc Township – Flags waved on Monday to half employees in Grand Blanc Township when the small neighborhood of Genesee County faltered of an enormous capturing and hearth that killed 5 folks on Sunday, together with the suspect, and hundreds on the lookout for solutions.

Whereas researchers attempt to decide what led a 40-year-old Burton man opened hearth within the church of the final days on McCandlish Street and set it on hearth, many have been clearly about one factor: the violence that affected their small neighborhood on Sunday doesn’t outline them.

“This isn’t a Grand Blanc. This doesn’t outline Grand Blanc and who we’re,” mentioned Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye.

Renye mentioned with a press convention at a press convention at a press convention, mentioned his desk hurts within the aftermath of the Sunday tragedy.

“And we all know you harm too,” mentioned Renye.

Some laid flowers exterior the church on Monday. Colleges in Grand Blanc have been closed on Monday.

Not less than one particular person injured within the capturing and Model remained in a essential situation in Henry Ford Genesys Hospital on Monday, whereas one other was talked about in essential however steady state.

Renye mentioned that two household assist facilities had been established to assist the tragedy, together with one within the native senior middle and one other at Henry Ford Genesys Well being Membership, 801 Well being Park Boulevard.

Within the meantime, flags can be lowered till Friday and returned to full employees on Saturday. “Our Grand Blanc neighborhood hurts tonight,” Groot -Blanc -Rener Amanda Oakman, on Sunday night on Fb. The ‘tragedy within the church of Jesus Christ of the Saints of the final days has touched so many lives … together with mine and a few of my household and mates.

“One million folks have reached me right this moment and I recognize that. This church is only some homes in my home. I had witnessed part of this tragedy (Sunday), and it was horrible. Hold this church and the members of this neighborhood in your ideas and prayers.”

Grand Blanc Township is about seven miles south of Flint. Tommy Jordan, who lived in Grand Blanc for 19 years earlier than shifting to Burton 5 years in the past, mentioned it was not with out issues, however described the neighborhood as ‘light’.

“Individuals steal issues from shops, that all the time occurred. However one thing like that? You’ve got by no means heard of something like that. Everybody has shocked this.”

‘Our vs. them’

Natalie Kasperzyk-Pilutti, who lives nearly a mile of the Saints Church on McCandlish in a subdivision, mentioned that the preventing is now not “left versus proper”.

“It is far more than that. And I feel all of us must cease one another,” she mentioned.

“I feel all of us must eliminate social media, all of us must get to know our neighbors and all of us have to like our neighbors.”

On a candlelight prayer Vigil, Sunday night within the Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, organized by the Republican Occasion of Genesee County, the individuals opened the occasion with prayers for the victims of the church capturing.

“We did this for everybody,” mentioned occasion secretary April Snyder in regards to the Vigil, which was initially invoiced as a memorial for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist killed on stage in Utah and different current tragedies.

“With the occasions that occurred this morning, it received a special which means for us,” mentioned Snyder.

‘Again to regular’

Renye, the police chief, tried to make a hopeful remark in regards to the highway that lies in entrance of us. However he requested folks to avoid the church whereas researchers maintain cleansing it up.

“I’m satisfied that collectively we’ll construct a stronger neighborhood due to this incident,” he mentioned. “… Let’s work in order that we are able to get regular once more. That is what all of us need.”

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((Staffwriters Beth Leblanc and Carol Thompson have contributed.)

Initially printed: September 30, 2025 at 7:40 am Edt