Photo: Getty Images
UPDATE:
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye confirmed that Thomas Jacob Sanford was identified as the lone suspect in the shooting at a Michigan Latter-day Saints church that he also set on fire Sunday (September 28) morning.
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The suspect who killed at least two people and injured eight others during a shooting at a Michigan Latter-day Saints church that he set on fire was identified as a former U.S. Marines veteran who served in the Iraq War, the New York Post confirmed on Sunday (September 28).
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, drove his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck into the church before firing shots at parishioners during a service and then setting the building ablaze, which caused it to burn down entirely. Authorities said they fear more victims could've been harmed in the fire than initially reported.
Sanford, who was killed at the scene during a shootout with police, reportedly served in the Iraq War as a U.S. Marine from 2004 to 2008, according to a Facebook post shared by his mother. The suspect was reportedly killed minutes after the initial 911 call was placed.
A Department of Natural Resources officer and a local township police officer were the initial first responders to arrive at the scene about 30 seconds after the incident was reported. Authorities later confirmed that Sanford was the lone suspect in the shooting.
The source of the blaze wasn't initially known, however, multiple sources told the New York Post that several improvised explosives were located on the church property, which would be investigated by a bomb squad. Hundreds of worshippers were reported to be present inside the church at the time of the incident and aerial footage shared online showed a large plume of black smoke was rising up from the building.