On Sunday, September 28, 2025, at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, a devastating shooting and fire occurred. Four lives were lost during the event, and eight others were injured, including one person in critical condition. The gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, died after getting into a shootout with police.
Grand Blanc, Michigan, is located approximately 60 miles north of Detroit. Authorities said Sanford drove into the church with his car during the 10 am service, before opening fire on the churchgoers. He then set fire to the building, leaving people stranded inside.
The attack has left nearby communities shaken. Violet Baker, a Michigan resident who attends Interlochen Center for the Arts, a boarding school three hours away from Grand Blanc, described the fear and grief many are feeling. “Honestly, when I first heard about it, I was shocked and scared,” she said. “It just felt unreal that something like that could happen at a church.”
The Grand Blanc shooting raises concerns for the safety of many people. “Even though I wasn’t close by, it’s still been on my mind a lot,” Baker shares. “Everyone at school has been talking about it, and it kind of makes you feel less safe, like it could happen anywhere.”
Authorities continue to investigate the shooting and fire. This tragic event marks the 384th mass shooting in 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The Grand Blanc tragedy adds to the growing toll of gun violence in the United States, where mass shootings have become a persistent and deeply dividing national issue.
