In aftermath of Michigan LDS church attack, investigators seek gunman’s motive
PBS News Hour - Segments
PBS NewsHour
4.1 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 29 September 2025
⏱️ 3 minutes
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| 0:00.0 | We start the day's other headlines in Michigan. |
| 0:03.0 | Police say that everyone is accounted for after a gunman killed four congregants on Sunday at a Mormon church south of Flint. |
| 0:11.0 | Eight others were injured, some during the aftermath when the shooter set the church on fire. |
| 0:16.4 | More than 100 federal officials are involved in the investigation, but no motive has yet been confirmed. |
| 0:22.1 | Dima Zane has our report on the latest. |
| 0:26.5 | Police scoured the charred ruins of what used to be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| 0:32.7 | in Grand Blank Township. One day after a gunman opened fire during Sunday service and set the entire |
| 0:39.7 | building ablaze. I saw what you trained for, what you planned for, and the reality hit yesterday |
| 0:46.0 | morning in a bright sunny day when people went to worship. The county sheriff praised law |
| 0:52.3 | enforcement's swift response and brave churchgoers who risked |
| 0:57.0 | their lives to protect children from gunfire. |
| 1:00.0 | There are noble heroes who do not wear a uniform that went to that church yesterday. |
| 1:05.0 | You're going to hear the stories as we lay out this case with law enforcement, but I will tell you this. |
| 1:10.0 | Those heroes from that church |
| 1:12.0 | did their job. This morning, a silver pickup truck remained on the scene. Officials say 40-year-old |
| 1:18.4 | Thomas Jacob Sanford, a former Marine, used it to ram through the building before getting out |
| 1:24.4 | and shooting at hundreds of people. He then ignited a gasoline fire, which destroyed the entire complex after burning for hours. |
| 1:34.3 | Police say they fatally shot the suspect shortly after. |
| 1:38.3 | The FBI is still determining a motive, but called it an act of targeted violence. |
| 1:45.5 | Others say the gunman was angry about the Mormon church. |
| 1:49.0 | One candidate for city council in the nearby city of Burton told the Detroit Free Press he |
| 1:54.0 | met the suspect less than a week ago while campaigning. |
... |
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