(The Center Square) – Local authorities confirmed Sunday night that at least five people are now dead, including the gunman, following an attack at a church in Michigan.
Multiple victims remain in the hospital.
The attack began Sunday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township. According to local authorities, the gunman rammed the building at 10:25 a.m. with his pickup truck, began shooting, and then set the building on fire.
Grand Blanc Township Police Department Chief William Renye said at a news conference Sunday night that he is grateful for all the lives that were saved.
“I’d like to acknowledge the heroism, not only of the first responders, but the people that were inside the church at that time. They were shielding the children who were also present within the church,” Renye said.
Renye also praised local law enforcement, who were on scene within 30 seconds of the original 911 call.
Just eight minutes after the attack began, the attacker was shot and killed by a Michigan Department of Natural Resources officer and a Grand Blanc Township officer in the parking lot of the church.
The entire building was engulfed in flames, which took hours for local firefighters to extinguish. Additional victims were found in the church once search efforts began.
As of Sunday night, law enforcement was still searching for additional victims in the church, which has been declared a total loss due to the fire.
“We are working tirelessly to find additional bodies,” Renye said. “These first responders right now are in recovery mode.”
There are victims that remain unaccounted for, Renye confirmed, though he did not release a specific number.
According to local authorities, there is no longer a threat to the local community, which is about 60 miles north of Detroit.
Renye said they also believe that only one attacker was involved.
Federal, state and local authorities were all on scene, including 100 FBI agents. FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman said the FBI will be leading the ongoing investigation.
“I can confirm at this time that the FBI is now leading the investigation and is investigating this as an act of targeted violence,” Coleman said at Sunday’s press conference.
No motive has yet been established for the attack, which was conducted by Thomas Jacob Sanford. According to reports, he lived near the church.
Sanford was a 40-year-old veteran of the Marine Corps, who spent time deployed in Iraq. He received multiple military awards and recognitions for his service, according to the military.
James Deir, the special agent in charge of the ATF’s Detroit Field Division said at the news conference that Sanford used a fire accelerant, believed to be gasoline. “Suspected explosive devices” were also found at the scene.
President Donald Trump addressed the attack in a post on social media on Sunday.
“I have been briefed on the horrendous shooting that took place,” Trump said. “The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn. This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”
