The FBI has confirmed that a former US marine who killed four people at a Mormon church in Michigan in September was motivated by anti-religious beliefs. Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, opened fire inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township before setting the building alight. He was later killed by police responding to the incident.
In a prerecorded video message, Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit field office, said the attack was a targeted act of violence believed to be driven by the assailant's anti-religious beliefs against the Mormon community. The agency declined to elaborate on how it reached this conclusion, though friends had previously said Sanford harboured hatred for the church.
The attack on 28 September left four people dead and the church destroyed after Sanford drove his pickup truck into the building and used gasoline as an accelerant. The FBI has now revised the number of injured to nine, having earlier said eight, confirming that an additional individual had been determined to be injured during the incident. The nature of that injury was not disclosed.
The victims have been identified as Craig Hayden, William 'Pat' Howard, John Bond and Thelma Armstrong. In a letter, Lisa Louis, whose father Hayden was killed, wrote that she forgave the shooter after looking into his eyes. In October, church leaders preached forgiveness at their general conference, and members raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Sanford's family.
Brandt Malone, a member of the faith who was attending services nearby, said the FBI's confirmation brought some of their darkest fears to light, adding that the attack affected believers of all traditions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declined to comment, while an attorney for Sanford's family did not respond to requests for comment.
