Authorities are probing why a former U.S. Marine rammed his truck into a Michigan church, opened fire on worshippers, and set the building ablaze, killing five people before dying in a shootout with police.
The attack unfolded Sunday morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, a suburb of Flint. Hundreds were inside when 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, an Iraq War veteran, drove his pickup through the front doors, fired an assault rifle, and set the church on fire, officials said.
Two victims were shot dead, while two more bodies were recovered in the burned-out rubble. At least eight people were wounded, and officials warned more bodies could be found as recovery continues.
Sanford, from nearby Burton, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008. Investigators are searching his home and phone for clues. The FBI said early indications point to hostility toward members of the Mormon faith, but no clear motive has been confirmed.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the suspect’s family is cooperating. “They are trying to understand how premeditated this was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note,” she told Fox News.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer called the attack “heartbreaking,” while President Donald Trump condemned it as “yet another targeted attack on Christians” and demanded an end to what he called an “epidemic of violence.”
The rampage was the 324th U.S. mass shooting of 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
The Michigan bloodshed came less than 14 hours after another ex-Marine veteran, Nigel Max Edge, allegedly opened fire on a bar in Southport, North Carolina, killing three and wounding five.
A spokesperson for the church, headquartered in Utah, said in a statement: “Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”
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U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious March goal for Russia and Ukraine to agree on a peace deal, though that timeline is likely to slip given a lack of agreement on the key issue of territory, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Two adjoining buildings collapsed in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, on Sunday (4 February), killing at least six people and trapping an unspecified number beneath the rubble, according to security sources.
Police in riot gear pushed toward a group of protesters who launched fireworks, flares and smoke bombs during a demonstration in Milan on Saturday, as the city hosted events on the first full day of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
At least 31 people have been killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, prompting widespread international condemnation.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by March, though the timeline is widely viewed as unrealistic due to deep disagreements over territory, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
India’s trade minister said diversifying energy imports and expanding purchases of advanced technology from the United States would serve New Delhi’s strategic interests, as the two countries move closer to finalising a long-awaited trade agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Japan’s ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has secured a sweeping victory in Sunday’s lower house election, cementing her authority and paving the way for major economic and security reforms.
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