The 40-year-old Iraq War veteran Thomas Jacob Sanford, who killed four people and injured eight others at a Michigan Mormon church, displayed Trump support through visible signs at his home, according to images and social media content that investigators are using to determine his attack motives.
A Trump-Pence campaign sign appeared on the fence of Sanford’s Burton, Michigan, home through Google Street View images from June, while a 2019 social media photo showed him wearing a camouflage Trump 2020 campaign shirt with
“Make Liberals Cry Again” was written on it, according to The Telegraph.
The public remains divided about Sanford’s political beliefs as FBI agents investigate the “act of targeted violence” against the Grand Blanc Township Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Decorated Marine’s Descent Into Violence
Sanford completed his seven-month deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 as a Marine Corps sergeant, having joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004 and received multiple awards, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal. The decorated veteran who served in the military committed a horrific attack by crashing his pickup truck into the church entrance during worship services and using an assault rifle to attack hundreds of people before setting the building on fire with gasoline.
President Trump expressed his opinion on Truth Social about the attack by stating, “This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.” The United States needs to stop this violent epidemic, which demands immediate action.
“This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”
The discovery of political imagery through social media investigations has led experts to question what drove Sanford to commit this violent act.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Sanford displayed hatred toward Mormon people, yet federal investigators have not established any religious or political reason for the attack.
The FBI’s Detroit field office special agent in charge, Reuben Coleman, declared the incident “targeted violence” while his team works to determine the perpetrator’s reasons.
Family Struggles and Warning Signs
Brenda Walters-Sanford posted a concerning Facebook message before the attack, which became viral after her account deletion, although she has not confirmed its authenticity.
She wrote in her Facebook post that honest conversations with people who refuse to take responsibility become battles instead of discussions. The Times of India documented how the pattern of behavior included deflection, projection, victimhood, and twisting of facts.
The family needed financial assistance in 2015 because their son needed multiple surgeries to treat his congenital hyperinsulinism, which Time magazine described as a rare genetic condition.
Community Grapples With Aftermath
The attack took place at 10:25 a.m. when numerous families attended Sunday worship at the church. The eight-minute attack on the church received praise from Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye, who commended members for protecting children inside the building.
Paula Maser described the church attack to Click On Detroit by saying that a loud explosion destroyed the church doors, followed by complete chaos. The gunman pursued us outside, where he kept firing his weapon until he hit our car three times, while a bullet passed just above my friend’s hand.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement regarding the tragic event, expressing gratitude to the emergency responders who responded to the scene. The church declared that worship spaces exist to provide peace, prayer, and connection to others. We extend our prayers for recovery and serenity to everyone who was affected by this incident.