White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the alleged shooter at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan “hated people of the Mormon faith.”
Thomas Jacob Sanford, a veteran of the U.S. Marines, allegedly plowed his pickup truck into the Mormon church during a service on Sunday and opened fire on attendees, before being killed by police. After speaking with FBI Director Kash Patel, Leavitt said on “Fox & Friends” that the alleged suspect appeared to be motivated by his hatred for Mormons.
“From what I understand based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is that this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith,” Leavitt said. “And they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note, all of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI.”
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At least four people were killed in the attack and at least eight others were injured. The gunman died after he engaged in a shootout with law enforcement officials.
Detectives investigating the incident said they are working to find a motive behind the deadly attack, ABC News reported. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the attack appeared to be “yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”
“This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” Trump said. “The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do. In the meantime, PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
A separate shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, killed two children while they attended mass during the school day on Aug. 27. Authorities identified the alleged suspect as Robin Westman, a male who identified as a woman.
Sanford served in the Marines from June 2004 to June 2008 and served one combat tour in the Iraq War, according to ABC News. He had been married to his wife, Tella Sanford, since 2016.
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