In a shocking incident on September 28, 2025, a resident of Burton, Michigan, named Thomas Jacob Sandford, has been identified as the alleged assailant who drove his truck into a Grand Blanc Mormon church. After crashing the vehicle into the church, Sandford opened fire on congregants, resulting in the deaths of four members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Authorities are concerned that the death toll may rise, given that Sandford also set the church ablaze, complicating recovery efforts for first responders looking for victims in the charred remains.
In the wake of this tragedy, Kris Johns, a candidate for the Burton City Council, recounted a surprising encounter he had with Sandford just six days before the violent attack. While canvassing for votes, Johns knocked on Sandford’s door and engaged in what he described as a polite and jovial conversation. “I spoke with him for about 20 minutes, and he never once mentioned any political figures,” Johns recounted. Instead, the conversation focused primarily on the beliefs and practices of the Mormon faith.
Johns recognized Sandford as memorable due to a passionate discussion about Mormons that Sandford initiated. “He went off on a tangent,” recalled Johns. During their conversation, Sandford posed questions about guns and expressed his strong opinions on Mormons, stating, “Mormons are the anti-Christ. They’re not Christians.” This was an unequivocal sentiment from Sandford, who discussed his perceptions with an intensity that suggested deep-seated animus toward the faith.
The context surrounding Sandford’s beliefs raised concerns among observers. Johns testified that Sandford’s troubling views didn’t appear to stem from a political agenda. Instead, he characterized their discussion as revealing a man deeply affected by his past experiences. “He mentioned he was in the Marines and had a drug problem,” Johns explained. Sandford’s migration to Utah, where he interacted with local culture, further appeared to fuel his resentment towards Mormons, suggesting a personal history intertwined with his radical views.
Johns recounted that Sandford’s questions about his knowledge of the Mormon Church grew increasingly specific, indicating a well-researched disdain. He mentioned names like Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, revealing an unexpected depth in Sandford’s understanding of Mormon history and doctrine. Although Johns admitted having limited knowledge of the faith, Sandford’s intense inquiries signaled a fixation that bordered on obsession.
What compounded the eerie nature of their interaction was Sandford’s casual demeanor throughout their encounter. Johns noted that even when he accidentally bumped into Sandford’s mailbox while attempting to park, Sandford was unfazed, saying, “Don’t worry about it,” showing no signs of anger. This polite front masked the violent impulses that would later erupt in tragedy.
As Johns relayed the story to his friend, a Mormon living in Utah, he struggled to reconcile the friendly encounter with the later act of terror. In a voicemail he left his friend just days before the attack, Johns described his alarming experience with Sandford, identifying him as a “former Marine who went on a ‘tirade’ about Mormons.” The stark contrast between their conversation and the assault that followed highlights the complexities of human behavior and belief.
The investigation into Sandford’s actions continues to unfold, and Kris Johns has cooperated with law enforcement, including the FBI. He expressed disbelief that the man he had recently engaged with in friendly discussion would soon become accused of turning his truck into a weapon of mass destruction against innocent churchgoers. “I never would have believed it,” Johns remarked in disbelief, encapsulating the shock that has reverberated throughout the local community.
This tragic event serves as a grim reminder of how deeply personal grievances and radical ideologies can culminate in violence, reshaping lives and communities without warning. The aftermath of this incident will likely continue to prompt discussions on mental health, gun control, and religious intolerance, echoing additional societal concerns that linger long after the tragedy fades from the headlines.
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