What led to Thomas Jacob Sanford a former military hero to a church shooter-arsonist? Was alleged Trump supporter motivated by political rhetoric?
As authorities try to piece together what led to a ‘family’ man snapping and going on a shooting spree against a Michigan Mormon church, friends and locals and former acquaintances who knew the shooter-arsonist who killed 4 and left eight dead before being ‘neutralized’ gave sobering accounts of Thomas ‘Tom’ Sanford, including one family friend who claimed the former vet was suffering from PTSD.
Speaking to journalist Ty Steele an unidentified family friend said the former ‘decorated’ military veteran who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2008 had been battling PTSD.
Michigan LDS church shooter called Mormons ‘the anti-Christ’ days before attack
Friends, locals and past acquaintances said nothing appeared amiss about Tom Sanford
‘It’s hard to feel sad for someone who did something so terrible, and I still feel sad. I had heard through family events that he had had PTSD,’ she said.
‘He would make comments occasionally and it was something that was kind of talked about. It wasn’t talked about in depth… so I don’t know the depth of his issues.’
Ryan Lopez, a former high school classmate who lives in the nearby city of Davison, Mich., said that he regularly saw Thomas Sanford, 40, around town and was still trying to process the news. He said he last saw Jake Sanford (a shortening of his middle name of Jacob) at a gym in Davison a few weeks earlier, and that nothing had seemed out of the ordinary.
‘He was happy to see me, he just seemed normal,’ Mr. Lopez told the nytimes. Mr. Sanford was an avid hunter of geese, turkey and deer and had seemed like a typical ‘country kid’ while growing up, Mr. Lopez said. After high school, both men joined the Marines, where Tom Sanford did motor transport work, Mr. Lopez said.
April Van, 66, who lives in an apartment complex near the suspect’s most recent address, said that she did not know him but she had seen Sanford’s ten year old son taking out trash.
Another neighbor, Randy Thronson, 71, told the nytimes that said he hadn’t talked to Sanford for about two years but that he ‘seemed like a nice guy’ and would plow neighbors’ driveways in the winter for free.
‘Something must have happened, snapped somehow,’ he said as police secured the area around the suspect’s home.
Michigan LDS church shooting leads to Liberals & MAGA blaming each other
People are saying the Michigan church shooter, Thomas Jacob Sanford, had a Trump sign on his property. 👀 pic.twitter.com/8YB7IbmTvx
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) September 28, 2025
Was Michigan LDS church shooter motivated by political rhetoric?
Pictures taken from social media accounts of Sanford’s wife and loved ones reveal they were a conservative, Christian family who were dealing with the stress of their son’s devastating Congenital Hyperinsulinism diagnosis.
Nevertheless there were suggestions that Sanford — an alleged Trump fanatic and MAGA supporter — may have been influenced by recent rhetoric in the wake of the recent assassination of conservative icon, Charlie Kirk. An act of political violence which has since led to a deepening of political tensions and division in the nation. Nevertheless it remained unclear why Sanford would necessarily target the Mormon church some 15 minutes from his home.
In one shared social media image, Sanford poses alongside his wife and son wearing a pro-Trump shirt with the message: ‘Make Liberals Cry Again.’
The shirt, which sells for $15.95 on eBay, has a cartoon style picture of Trump with his fist in the air, and reads: ‘Re-elect Trump 2020.’
Sanford’s loved ones, including his wife and both of his parents, also frequently shared pro-Trump messaging on their social media pages.
🚨UPDATE: The suspect is a 40-year-old male from Burton Michigan who rammed his truck into the Church of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc then shot multiple people. He then set church on fire. Police shot him dead and Police believe victims are still inside the burnt church. pic.twitter.com/iIsNIem2tO
— Algovich (@Algovich_) September 28, 2025
A Michigan community turns to faith as it seeks answers and comfort
In a Facebook post dated May 12, 2021, Sanford’s wife, Tella Sanford shared a link, accompanied by the hashtags, “#bringtrumpback,” and “#whovotedforthis.” The linked content has been deleted.
Come Sunday evening, about 100 people gathered for a prayer service Sunday evening at The River Church in Grand Blanc, a nondenominational Christian church about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where the bloodshed spilled earlier that day to remember Sunday’s victims.
‘We live in days that are difficult and troubled, days that are weary and tiring,’ said Pastor Chuck Lindsey, leading the congregation in prayer and addressing congregants.
‘We’re exhausted by the evil, we’re exhausted by these things. But Lord, you are our refuge.’
