A man from Michigan broke into a church and opened fire, resulting in at least four deaths. He was shot dead in a gunfight with the police

A large-scale shooting incident occurred at a Mormon church in Michigan, resulting in four deaths. The gunman and police engaged in a gunfight and were killed. President Trump called this incident the latest tragedy caused by the nationwide 'plague of violence'.

The shooting occurred on Sunday (September 28th) local time, and the church where the incident occurred is located in the town of Grand Blanc. The gunman is 40 year old Thomas Jacob Sanford, who served in the United States Marine Corps.

According to official reports, Sanford drove through the main entrance of the church on the same day, opened fire with an assault rifle, and set fire to the church. At that time, there were hundreds of people inside the church, and the attack resulted in at least four deaths and eight injuries. The police said that there may be more victims in the ruins.

Two law enforcement officers arrived at the scene within 30 seconds after receiving the notification and engaged in a gunfight with Sanford, ultimately killing him in the parking lot.

The screen shows that the church has been extensively burned down. The authorities claimed that Sanford used a combustion enhancer (believed to be gasoline) to set fire to the church; The police have discovered several suspected explosive devices, but it is uncertain whether they were used for ignition.

A witness told WXYZ television station in Detroit that she heard "a loud bang and the door was blown away".
On site photos show that Sanford's car crashed into the side of the church, with two American flags standing upright at the rear. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has now led the investigation and classified the attack as a 'targeted act of violence'.

Gun violence has repeatedly occurred in the United States. According to statistics, this Michigan shooting is the 324th mass shooting incident in the United States this year, with three or more people killed.

Trump said the shooting at the Mormon Church in Michigan was "shocking" and referred to it as "another deliberate attack on Christians within the United States". He stated, "The rampant violence in our country must end immediately

The Mormon Church considers itself a Christian denomination, but its teachings are based on the Book of Mormon, and its headquarters are located in Utah. Prior to this attack, there were also shooting incidents at other religious sites in the United States, including the Minneapolis Catholic Church, Pittsburgh Synagogue, and Sikh Temple.

According to US media reports, Sanford comes from the town of Burton near the crime scene. Investigators will search his residence and mobile phone to determine his motive for the attack.

According to military records and social media information, Sanford served in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008 and participated in the Iraq War.

Sanford is married and has a son who suffers from a rare genetic disease and requires long-term hospitalization and multiple surgical treatments. According to the fundraising page information in 2015, the Sanford family had raised medical expenses for their child.

Sanford's mother's Facebook post shows that Sanford also hunts and often takes photos with prey such as deer.