No clear link found between Michigan church shooter, congregation: Spokesperson

ISTANBUL

Initial evidence indicates that the gunman who opened fire Sunday inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in the US state of Michigan appears to have no connection to the congregation, said a spokesperson for the Mormon church.

During morning worship services, the suspect drove his vehicle through the front doors of the church in Grand Blanc Township, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Detroit, before exiting and "firing several rounds at individuals within the church," said Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye.

At least four people were killed and eight injured, police said. The suspect is also dead.

Police said that as of Sunday evening, seven victims were in stable condition while one remained in critical condition.

The church described the shooting as “a tragic act of violence,” Fox News reported.

“The church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected,” said a statement by the LDS leadership.

Michigan authorities have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford.

According to a US Marine Corps spokesperson speaking to CNN, Sanford was a Marine veteran who served from 2004 to 2008.

The spokesperson added that Sanford served as a mechanic and vehicle recovery operator and spent a year deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the US-led invasion of Iraq that began in 2003.

Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, which oversees all of Michigan state, said the FBI has taken over the case and is investigating it as an “act of targeted violence.”

This move is significant, as it suggests authorities may have identified possible violations of federal law.