GRAND BLANC, Mich. (BN24) — A gunman killed one person and injured nine others during Sunday services at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before setting the building on fire and being shot dead by police in what authorities described as a coordinated attack on the Grand Blanc Township congregation.
The 40-year-old Burton man rammed his vehicle through the front doors of the church around mid-morning and immediately began firing at hundreds of worshippers with an assault rifle, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said during an afternoon briefing.
The suspect then deliberately set multiple fires throughout the building before police engaged and killed him, ending the assault that terrorized the peaceful community. Several victims remain in critical condition while others are stable, according to authorities.
“We do believe we will find some additional victims once we find the area where the fire was,” Renye said as first responders continued sifting through the wreckage after extinguishing the blaze that consumed much of the church structure.
Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson described the scene as dynamic and extensive, with the entire church building engulfed in flames for hours before firefighters could bring the blaze under control. Black smoke was visible for miles across the rural township.
President Donald Trump said he was briefed on the shooting and fire, calling for an end to violence in American communities. “The Trump Administration will keep the Public posted, as we always do. In the meantime, PRAY for the victims, and their families,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”
The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene to assist with the investigation into what Attorney General Pam Bondi characterized as heartbreaking violence at a place of worship.
“Such violence at a place of worship is heartbreaking and chilling,” Bondi said in a statement, while FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino pledged to “provide any requested support necessary” for the investigation.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed grief for the Grand Blanc community following the attack. “Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable,” Whitmer said. “I am grateful to the first responders who took action quickly.”
The attack occurred during regular Sunday worship services when the church typically hosts hundreds of congregants. The gunman’s vehicle crash through the front entrance created chaos as worshippers scrambled for safety while the armed assault began.
Police have not released a motive for either the shooting or the arson, though investigators believe both were deliberate acts by the same individual. The coordinated nature of the attack suggested planning and preparation by the suspect.
Scott Bennett, Grand Blanc Township supervisor, described the incident as “a tragedy that nobody wants to encounter” in the normally quiet community known for its peaceful atmosphere and close-knit neighborhoods.
Joe Ostrander, a 25-year-old lifelong Grand Blanc resident who was driving to the church when he learned of the attack, expressed shock at violence in his hometown. “I’ve never heard of anything like this ever happening in my city,” Ostrander said, describing Grand Blanc as “peaceful, quiet, small” and full of local businesses.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in a residential area near other religious institutions, sits surrounded by parking lots and lawn space that became staging areas for emergency responders and evacuated congregants.
The New York Police Department deployed officers to religious institutions across the city “out of an abundance of caution” following reports of the Michigan attack, demonstrating the broader security concerns triggered by violence at places of worship.
The shooting occurred one day after Russell M. Nelson, the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at age 101. Church protocol indicates that Dallin H. Oaks is expected to become the next president of the faith commonly known as the Mormon church.
First responders evacuated all surviving congregants from the burning building while simultaneously engaging the armed suspect. The complex emergency response required coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies and fire departments to address both the active shooter situation and the structural fire.
The investigation continues as authorities work to identify all victims and determine the full scope of casualties from both the shooting and fire. The deliberate nature of the arson has complicated recovery efforts and victim identification processes.
The attack represents one of the most serious incidents of violence targeting religious institutions in Michigan in recent years, raising questions about security measures at houses of worship and the vulnerability of congregations during services.
Community leaders and religious organizations across Michigan have expressed solidarity with the Grand Blanc congregation while grappling with the implications of the coordinated attack on Sunday worship services.
The Grand Blanc Township church served a significant Mormon population in the Genesee County area, hosting regular worship services, community events, and religious education programs that brought together families from across the region.
Federal investigators will examine the suspect’s background, potential motives, and whether the attack was connected to broader patterns of violence targeting religious communities or represented an isolated incident specific to the individual perpetrator.
