Authorities allege that on September 28, Sanford drove his vehicle into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, a suburb of Flint, Michigan. He then opened fire with a rifle and set the building ablaze, leaving at least four dead and eight injured.
Sanford, a resident of Burton about 10 kilometers from Flint, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from June 2004 to June 2008. His family has a long tradition of naval service.
According to military records, Sanford was a technical engineer tasked with repairing and recovering damaged vehicles in Iraq between August 2007 and March 2008. Local media reported that he had also been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, earlier in his career.
Michigan authorities confirmed that Sanford acted alone in the attack. He exchanged gunfire with police in the church parking lot and was fatally shot within minutes. The motive remains unclear, and police fear the death toll could rise as they continue searching the church’s rubble.
Neighbors described Sanford as polite and helpful. “He was a kind man,” said Randy Thronson, 71, a retired veteran who lived nearby. “He used to shovel snow for neighbors without asking for anything in return. It’s heartbreaking. Maybe he suffered a mental breakdown.” Sanford was married and had one child.