Sunday mornings in Grand Blanc usually feel exactly how you’d expect a Michigan autumn to feel. Quiet. Crispy. A little bit slow. But on September 28, 2025, that peace didn't just break; it was obliterated. Around 10:25 a.m., a silver GMC Sierra pickup truck—two American flags fluttering from the bed—didn't slow down as it approached the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on McCandlish Road. It accelerated. It smashed through the front doors of the chapel while hundreds of people were mid-worship.
People thought it was an accident at first. A medical emergency, maybe. Brian Taylor, who was inside, remembers hearing a massive bang and seeing the chapel wall crack. Then the shooting started.
The Chaos of the Mass Shooting in Grand Blanc
Basically, the situation went from a confusing traffic accident to a war zone in seconds. Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old Iraq War veteran from nearby Burton, stepped out of that truck wearing camouflage pants and carrying an assault rifle. He didn't just start shooting; he brought gasoline.
The building was set on fire almost immediately.
Honestly, the timeline is enough to make your head spin. The first 911 call hit the dispatch center at 10:25:32 a.m. from someone who had been shot in the stomach. By 10:27 a.m., a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officer who happened to be nearby was already pulling into the parking lot. A Grand Blanc Township officer arrived about a minute later.
Inside, the scene was horrific. Smoke was filling the sanctuary. Parents were shielding their kids under pews. Some people were trying to drag the elderly toward side exits while Sanford was still active.
A Timeline of the Response
- 10:25 a.m. – Sanford rams his truck into the church.
- 10:26 a.m. – Reports of gunfire and fire begin to flood 911 dispatch.
- 10:27 a.m. – The DNR officer arrives and engages the suspect in the parking lot.
- 10:28 a.m. – A Grand Blanc Township officer joins the confrontation.
- 10:33 a.m. – Sanford is shot dead by police.
The whole thing lasted less than ten minutes. But in that window, four church members lost their lives and eight others were left with injuries they’ll carry forever.
Who Was Thomas Jacob Sanford?
You’ve gotta wonder what makes someone do this. Investigators from the FBI and ATF have been digging into Sanford’s life for months. He was a former Marine who served in Okinawa and Iraq between 2004 and 2008. To some neighbors, he was just a "right-wing Republican" who kept to himself. To others, he was starting to look like a ticking time bomb.
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Kara Pattison, a local who knew him, told reporters she saw him just two days before the attack. He allegedly revved his truck and drove toward her and her daughter as they crossed a street, laughing when they had to jump out of the way.
The FBI eventually labeled the mass shooting in Grand Blanc as an "act of targeted violence." It wasn't random. Sanford had a deep-seated animosity toward the LDS Church. Interestingly, the attack happened just one day after the death of the church’s president, Russell M. Nelson. Investigators haven't confirmed if that was the specific "trigger," but the timing is hard to ignore.
The Victims and the Heroes
When you talk about what happened, you can't just focus on the shooter. The people inside were incredible. There were nurses from nearby Henry Ford Genesys Hospital who were actually on a picket line nearby when the news broke. Some of them literally left the strike and ran toward the burning building to help.
The loss was heavy.
- A 77-year-old Navy veteran of the Vietnam War was killed.
- A 54-year-old woman from South Africa died.
- Another 77-year-old man lost his life.
- Two people died from gunfire; two others were found in the rubble after the fire was put out.
The injuries ranged from a 6-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the arm to elderly congregants suffering from severe smoke inhalation. One man, Brian Taylor, even had his windshield shattered by gunfire as he tried to drive his wife to safety, ending up with shrapnel in his hand.
The Long Road to Recovery in Genesee County
The church building was a total loss. The fire, fueled by gasoline, gutted the sanctuary and brought down the white steeple. It wasn't just a building; it was the "stake center" for seven different congregations.
Police Chief William Renye was pretty blunt in the aftermath: "This was an evil act of violence." He's right. But the community response has been the opposite of evil. There have been massive vigils and a huge push for mental health support for the first responders. The Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) has been pushing the Frontline Strong Together program because, let’s be real, seeing a church full of families on fire is the kind of thing that breaks a person.
Safety Lessons and Next Steps
If you live in the area or belong to a local congregation, the mass shooting in Grand Blanc changed how people think about "soft targets." Places of worship are supposed to be sanctuaries, but they are also vulnerable.
What you can do now:
- Review Emergency Plans: Most churches have "fire plans" but very few have "active shooter" protocols that involve vehicle barriers. If your local organization hasn't discussed physical security—like bollards near entrance doors—it's time to bring it up.
- Support the Survivors: The victims at Henry Ford Genesys and McLaren Healthcare are still dealing with surgeries and PTSD. Local community foundations in Genesee County are still accepting donations specifically for the families of the September 28 victims.
- Stay Informed via Official Channels: Avoid the rumor mill on social media. The FBI Detroit Field Office remains the lead on the motive investigation. If you have information about Sanford’s movements prior to the attack, contact 1-800-CALL-FBI.
- Prioritize Mental Health: If you or someone you know was affected, don't "tough it out." Use resources like the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) which provides immediate crisis counseling for those impacted by mass violence.
The physical building on McCandlish Road might be gone, but the community is still standing. Rebuilding is a slow process, but as the locals say, Grand Blanc isn't defined by the eight minutes of violence, but by the months of coming together that followed.