All are accounted for after Michigan church shooting, officials say; FBI probing as “act of targeted violence”

Everyone is now counted in the aftermath of a shooting and a fire in a Michigan church on Sunday services, a press conference announced on Monday. The FBI investigates the fray of the canton of Grand Blanc as “an act of targeted violence”.

A hundred people were inside the church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints on McClandlish Road around 10:25 am Sunday When the shooting occurred.

The suspect, identified as a 40 -year -old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, MichiganDiscovered his vehicle through the entrance doors of the church, left his vehicle and pulled “several towers” from an assault rifle to hundreds of faithful, said the police chief of the canton of Grand Blanc, William Renye.

Four victims were killed during shots. The shooter is also dead, officials said. A victim was listed in critical condition in a hospital in the region, and seven others would have been in a stable state. Henry Ford Genesys hospital said he had taken care to certain victims.

The press conference on Monday was the final of a person’s series of reports, local police saying that additional updates will come from their social media. The governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, was one of those who spoke on Monday, alongside the FBI Detroit acting agent in charge of Reuben C. Coleman, the sheriff of the county of Genesee Christopher R. Swanson, special agent of the ATF responsible for the Detroit Field, James Deir and the police director of the state of Michigan F. Grady II.

Deir asked residents of the region to avoid the area near the church, which was blocked, requesting public cooperation while investigators continue to paint through the fire left by the fire. Until now, more than 100 victims and witnesses have been questioned, said Coleman.

In the meantime, the authorities welcomed the dedication of the first stakeholders and the police on the scene, some of whom had only two months of experience at work, as well as the immediate response of the Church participants during the incident.

“There are noble heroes who do not carry a uniform that went to this church yesterday … These heroes of this church did their job,” said sheriff.

Survivor Paul Kirby told “CBS Mornings” It was “the scary moment of my life, not knowing if my family was fine.” Kirby’s wife and children were with him, assistant to church service, when they heard “a strong boom from the rear wall of the chapel”.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the investigators examined how much planning had entered the attack and if clues on the grounds had been left.

“From what I understand, on the basis of my conversations with the director of the FBI, all they know at the moment is that it was a person who hated people of the Mormone faith,” she said on Monday.

The shooting occurred one day after Russell Mr. Nelson, the oldest president of the UTAH based faith, died at 101.

Sanford was a veteran of the war in Iraq who deployed once for several months in 2007 and 2008, according to service files provided to CBS News by the Pentagon. Sanford served in the navies for four years.

The crews in white blankets and in case of banks searched what was left of the church on Monday morning. A silver van with two American flags on the back remained where he had broken the brick wall before a sign that says that “visitors are welcome”.

US officials and state legislators Shared messages In response to the shooting, and the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, ordered us to the flags and Michigan to be lowered to half of the staff until Friday to honor and remember the victims.

Grand Blanc community schools were closed on Monday.

Police in the canton of Bloomfield said they “increase the patrols around our places of worship and other community rallies to ensure a safe environment for everyone”.

The shooting was the last of several attacks on worship in the United States in the past 20 years, including one in August who killed two children at the Annunciation church in Minneapolis.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, who directs the investigation, asked anyone with information to call 1-800-225-5324 or to submit a council here.

Anna Schecter and Paula Wethington contributed to this report.