What we know about Thomas Sanford, alleged shooter at Grand Blanc church

By Beth Leblanc and Carol Thompson, Medianews Group

The one suspect in an enormous taking pictures and devastating hearth in a church in Michigan throughout a Sunday service is a former American navy who served Iraqi freedom in Operation.

Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old Burton-Man who reportedly opened the fireplace on a Mormon church service and set hearth to the worship, served within the Marines from June 2004 to June 2008, based on Data delivered by the American Marines.

He was deployed in Iraq from August 2007 to March 2008 and had the rank of Sergeant, based on the archives. His navy skilled specialty was an organizational automotive technician and automobile restore operator.

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye referred to as Sanford as the one shooter who shot 10 within the church and intentionally set the construction on hearth. Renye mentioned Sanford was driving a automobile to the church, left the automobile and had shot a number of rounds. He’s additionally alleged to deliberately set the constructing on hearth.

Michigan State Police Particular Lt. Kim Vetter mentioned that rumors concerning the motif of Sanford are pure ‘hypothesis’. Vetter mentioned that it might take a while to find out his actual motive.

4 of the ten individuals died within the church and the police mentioned earlier on Sunday that they anticipate finding further fatalities within the rubble of the church.

Two cops, inside 30 seconds after the primary name for assist at 10:25 am, have been busy with Sanford within the car parking zone and shot him in a couple of minutes, Renye mentioned.

Little has been launched about Sanford.

The State Police of Michigan may very well be seen in Sanford’s home on Sunday afternoon and approached the division’s bomb staff.

The Clarkston News reported that Sanford served a stint in Okinawa, Japan, earlier than he served in Iraq. The uncle of Sanford additionally served within the Marines, whereas based on the newspaper, his grandfather served with the Navy in the course of the Second World Conflict.

Randy Thronson, a 71-year-old Burton-Man who lives a couple of doorways from Sanford, mentioned it’s often a quiet space with nothing however Fender Benders who attracts the police to Atherton Street. Thronson mentioned that Sanford was neighbor who plowed free Thronsons and others driveways. Thronson served within the military for 25 years and mentioned that Sanford was additionally a veteran. “It is actually unhappy,” mentioned Thronon. “He might have simply damaged.”

He was a ‘Marine on the Transfer’, the Clarkston Information reported about Sanford in 2007 and mentioned within the article that Sanford adopted an uncle who was a marine and a grandfather who served within the Navy in WWII.

“Now the 22-year-old Atlas resident is confronted with an excellent schedule problem,” mentioned the article. The wrecker driver who helped with the restoration of broken autos “will be part of his navy fight battalion and serve in Fallujah, Iraq,” mentioned it.

He advised the newspaper: ‘I’m excited to go. I’m wanting ahead to seeing the tradition and other people of Iraq. I’ll return with the true information of the state of affairs. “

Thronson mentioned that Sanford lived there together with his spouse, at the very least one little one, and maybe his mom.

Mike Pate, 44, lives close to Sanford. He noticed the bomb staff whereas he handed and stopped to see them work. Pate grew up in Burton and described it as a good looking and quiet setting. “(It is) (It’s surreal, these issues occur so near us,” he mentioned. “While you see issues on the information, it appears so distant.”

Initially revealed: September 29, 2025 at 12:31 pm Edt