CHIKUN/KAJURU REP, HON. FIDELIX BAGUDU, ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).
Gunman in Michigan church shooting was Marine and Iraq War veteran- Officials
The man suspected of opening fire at a Michigan LDS church on Sunday was a 40-year-old Iraq War veteran, authorities said.
Police identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford, who drove his truck into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, before firing shots and setting the building on fire. Sanford was killed in a shootout with police. At least four churchgoers were killed and eight others were injured in the attack.
Sanford’s military background has come under scrutiny following the incident. Officials noted that the truck he drove into the church displayed an Iraq War veteran license plate. He served four years in the United States Marine Corps from June 2004 to June 2008, ultimately reaching the rank of sergeant. Sanford completed one combat tour in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in August 2007, which ended three months before his discharge.
During his service, Sanford specialized in military vehicle operations, working as a technician responsible for inspecting, servicing, and repairing tactical vehicles, as well as a vehicle recovery operator tasked with retrieving armored vehicles in support of troop missions. He concluded his military career at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in March 2008 and received standard recognition for his rank and service.
Sanford was also a father, with a son who faced significant health challenges after birth, according to family posts online. Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the deadly shooting and fire that shook the Grand Blanc community.
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