By Alaa Elassar and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN
At least two people were killed and eight others were wounded in a shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, according to police.
Authorities say a gunman rammed a vehicle through the front of the church during a large service, began shooting, and then intentionally set a fire that grew into a large blaze.
Police believe they may find additional victims when it is safe to enter the building.
Investigators have identified the man as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old from the nearby city of Burton.
He was an Iraq War veteran and outdoorsman, according to military records and social media posts.
Social media accounts linked to Sanford's family show he was married with at least one child, a young son.
According to a GoFundMe page from 2015, the family was in need of donations to help pay for the medical care of Sanford's son, who was born with a rare genetic disorder.
Other posts on Sanford's mother's Facebook page show that Sanford was a hunter, posing with deer and other game.
Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye identified the suspect as a 40-year-old man from Burton, Michigan.
Renye said the suspect used an assault rifle during the attack. Two officers were involved in a shootout and killed the suspect, he said, and police believe there is only one person involved.
The blaze in Flint, Michigan. Photo: Julie J / CNN
"A 40-year-old suspect from Burton, he's a male, he drove his vehicle through the front doors of the church," Renye said during a news briefing.
"He then exited his vehicle firing several rounds at individuals within the church," Renye said.
The wounded have been transported to local hospitals, the police chief said. Children are among those hurt, a source familiar with the incident told CNN.
Authorities believe the suspect "deliberately" set fire to the church. The police chief said investigators are "still trying to determine exactly when and where that fire ended up coming from and how it got started."
He added they believe more people were "near the fire and they were unable to get out of the church." The fire has since been extinguished.
One of the 8 injured victims was in critical condition and seven others were in stable condition, Renye told a news conference.
Grand Blanc is a suburb of Flint, Michigan, and is located about an hour's drive north of Detroit.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she is receiving updates.
"My heart is breaking for the Grand Blanc community," Whitmer wrote in a post on X.
"Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable. I am grateful to the first responders who took action quickly.
"We will continue to monitor this situation and hold the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc close."
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that she is receiving briefings on today's shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
"I am receiving briefings about what appears to be a horrific shooting and fire at an LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan," Bondi wrote, adding the FBI and ATF will be assisting local authorities.
"Such violence at a place of worship is heartbreaking and chilling. Please join me in praying for the victims of this terrible tragedy," Bondi added.
FBI Director Kash Patel also posted on X that the agency is "tracking reports of the horrific shooting and fire at an LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan."
Patel confirmed the FBI will be assisting local authorities.
"Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this terrible tragedy," Patel wrote.
The shooting was the latest attack on a house of worship in the United States. Just over a month ago, on 27 August, a shooter fired through the windows of a church in Minneapolis, killing two children and wounding 14 others, as well as three elderly parishioners, as they prayed.
- CNN live coverage
