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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided an update Monday on the FBI investigation into the shooting and fire at a Michigan Mormon church on Sunday.
“Based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith, and they are trying to understand more about this, how premeditated it was, how much planning went into it, whether he left a note. All of those questions have yet to be answered, but certainly will be answered by the FBI,” Leavitt told “Fox & Friends” after speaking with FBI Director Kash Patel.
Leavitt said the FBI is “currently executing multiple search warrants at the residences and the family homes of this perpetrator to try to get to the bottom of why he would commit such an act of evil.”
FBI INVESTIGATING MICHIGAN CHURCH SHOOTING AS ‘TARGETED’ VIOLENCE
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on September 9, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Thomas Jacob Sanford was named by authorities as the man who rammed a Chevy Silverado into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, before opening fire on the hundreds of worshipers gathered there.
The White House press secretary praised local law enforcement for their response to the shooting.
“Local police officers were on the ground of this scene within minutes and neutralized this shooter, no doubt saving lives, and they should be commended. Our police officers are heroes and this president will always respect them and support them,” Leavitt continued.
Smoke rises as emergency personnel work at the scene of a shooting which took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to police, in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on September 28, 2025. (REUTERS/Rebecca Cook)
Leavitt said the shooter was a member of the community and previously served in the United States Marine Corps in Iraq.
“His family is cooperating with the FBI. And so they are currently trying to dig in and get to the bottom of why he committed – there’s just this heinous act of violence. It’s unfathomable. And as the president rightfully put in his Truth Social yesterday, this appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians,” she added.
ATTACKS ON US CHURCHES HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2021, REPORT FINDS
Emergency crews respond to a shooting and fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Grand Blanc, Mich., Sept. 28, 2025. (David Guralnick/Detroit News)
At least four people are dead, seven are in stable condition and one remains in critical condition. Two were killed by gunfire; two others were found after the fire.
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The shooter, armed with what appeared to be a rifle, exchanged gunfire with officers and was killed at the scene.
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.
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