Mass shooting at Mormon church in Michigan: 4 dead, at least 8 injured

Mass shooting at Mormon church in Michigan

 

Mass shooting at Mormon church in Michigan: 4 dead, at least 8 injured

A tragic gun attack happened again in the United States. At least four people were killed and eight others were seriously injured when a gunman opened fire at a Mormon church in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan. The international news agency Reuters confirmed this information on Sunday.

How did this terrible attack happen?

According to police, a man identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford (40) entered the church and opened fire early Sunday morning. Within minutes the situation spiraled out of control. Terrified people kept running in and out of the church. Sanford then set fire to the building. In no time, the entire structure was engulfed in flames, engulfed in smoke.

The number of casualties and missing may rise

According to police, two people were killed in the shooting and at least eight others were hospitalized in critical condition. Later two more bodies were found in the ruins of the church. Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Rainey said at the press conference:

"Some people are still missing. We fear there may be more bodies in the rubble."

Identity and past of the attacker

Police identified Thomas Jacob Sanford as a resident of nearby Burton and a former US Marine. He served in the US Marines from 2004 to 2008 and served in the Iraq War. Although he is not currently serving in the military, as a trained ex-serviceman, his skills are believed to have made the attack even more terrifying.

Police say the motive behind the attack is still unclear. Investigators said Sanford's home, personal devices and phone records will be examined.

On the same day, another former Marine was attacked

Just 14 hours before this attack, another gun attack happened in North Carolina, USA. There, Nigel Max Edge, a 40-year-old ex-marine, opened fire indiscriminately from a boat at a riverside bar. Three people were killed and five were injured.

According to police in the city of Southport, South Carolina, against him Three counts of first-degree murder And Five attempted murdersCharges have been brought. According to court documents, Edge was formerly known as Shawn William Debevoise. After being seriously injured in the Iraq War, he sued the government, although it was dismissed.

Security measures and the mental health of returning soldiers are in question

The two cases have similarities—both attackers are former Marines and Iraq war veterans. This has given rise to a new concern in the United States. Renewed debates are brewing over veterans' mental health, social rehabilitation and arms control laws. Experts say many veterans who return from the battlefield suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Without proper treatment and support, they can become dangerous.

last word

These two horrific attacks in Michigan and North Carolina are the latest additions to the growing gun violence in the United States. Such an attack on a safe religious place like a church is not only sad but a big warning for the whole nation. Investigators are now looking into Sanford's motives, state of mind and network. However, the families of the victims and the local community have already plunged into a dark mourning.