What we know about Thomas Sanford, alleged shooter at Grand Blanc church

Beth LeBlanc and Carol Thompson, The Detroit News on Sep 28, 2025

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The lone suspect in a mass shooting and devastating fire at a Michigan church during a Sunday service is a former U.S. Marine who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old Burton man who allegedly opened fire on a Mormon church service and set fire to the place of worship, served in the Marines from June 2004 through June 2008, according to records provided by the U.S. Marines.

He was deployed to Iraq from August 2007 through March 2008 and had the rank of sergeant, according to the records. His military occupational specialty was organizational automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator.

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye named Sanford as the lone gunman who shot 10 at the church and intentionally set fire to the structure. Renye said Sanford drove a vehicle into the church, exited the vehicle and shot several rounds. He is also believed to have intentionally set fire to the building.

Michigan State Police Special Lt. Kim Vetter said rumors about Sanford's motive are purely "speculation." Vetter said it may take some time to determine his actual motive.

Four of the 10 people in the church have died, and police said earlier Sunday that they expect to find additional fatalities in the rubble of the church.

Two police officers, arriving within 30 seconds of the first call for help at 10:25 a.m., engaged in gunfire with Sanford in the parking lot and shot and killed him within minutes, Renye said.

Little has been released about Sanford. Police are expected to provide another update at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Michigan State Police could be seen at Sanford's home Sunday afternoon, approaching with the department's bomb squad.

The Clarkston News reported that Sanford served a stint in Okinawa, Japan, before serving in Iraq. Sanford's uncle also served in the Marines, while his grandfather served in the Navy during World War II, according to the newspaper.

Randy Thronson, a 71-year-old Burton man who lives a few doors down from Sanford, said it’s usually a quiet area with nothing but fender benders drawing the police to Atherton Road.Thronson said Sanford was a good neighbor who plowed Thronson’s and others’ driveways for free. Thronson served in the military for 25 years and said Sanford also was a veteran.“It’s really sad,” Thronson said. “He might have just snapped.”

He was a "Marine on the move," the Clarkston News reported about Sanford in 2007, saying in the article that Sanford followed an uncle who was a Marine and a grandfather who served in the Navy in WWII.

"Now the 22-year-old Atlas native is faced with an even grater challenge," the article said. The wrecker driver who helped with recovery of damaged vehicles "will join his Marine combat battalion and serve in Fallujah, Iraq," it said.

He told the newspaper ‘I’m excited to go. I’m looking forward to seeing the culture and the people of Iraq. I’ll return with the real news of the situation."

Thronson said Sanford lived there with his wife, at least one kid, and maybe his mother.

Mike Pate, 44, lives near Sanford. He saw the bomb squad as he drove by and stopped to watch them work.Pate grew up in Burton and described it as a nice and quiet area.“(It’s) surreal, having stuff happen this close to us,” he said. “When you see stuff on the news, it seems so far away.”