Police in Grand Blanc, Michigan, say the gunman who killed no less than 4 individuals and injured eight others at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday morning died after “exchanging gunfire” with police.
The suspect was recognized as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye mentioned.
Sanford served within the U.S. Marines for three-and-a-half years from 2004 to 2008, CBS Information has confirmed. He was deployed from August 2007 to March 2008 as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which led to the autumn of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Based on Renye, calls concerning the capturing on the Church of Latter-day Saints on McCandlish Street got here in round 10:25 a.m., and officers had been on the scene lower than a minute later. Police mentioned Sanford died on the car parking zone of the church round 10:33 a.m.
Sanford lived round seven miles away from the church. Michigan State Police and a bomb squad had been investigating his residence on Sunday afternoon.
Investigators say there could also be bomb making supplies inside, although it is unknown if something was discovered.
Close by residents instructed CBS Information Detroit they could not consider what occurred of their small suburban group situated about an hour northwest of Detroit.
“I actually really feel for the households, you realize, even really feel for the accused,” resident April Vann mentioned. “It is only a unhappy, actually unhappy state of affairs. You understand, household’s lives are destroyed in 2.2 seconds.”
Jason Miller, one other close by resident, mentioned one thing has to alter.
“It is troubling. A mile from residence, you realize? It is clearly getting nearer to us, proper?” Miller mentioned. “So when it begins getting shut, you are not simply wanting on the TV display screen saying, ‘I really feel unhealthy. What is going on on?’ It is right here now, and that is why we acquired to do one thing. It is attending to be an issue.”
A number of neighbors weren’t in a position to get inside their houses on Sunday afternoon. Michigan State Police troopers mentioned they might be within the space into the night.
President Trump mentioned on Reality Social that Sunday’s capturing was “horrendous,” and that he would offer “full help” to state and native officers for the investigation.
