EXCLUSIVE: Burton City Council Candidate Recounts Chilling Conversation With Grand Blanc Township Church Shooting Suspect
Burton candidate says he met the church shooter days before the attack.
BURTON, Mich. — A Burton City Council candidate says he unknowingly spoke with the man accused of opening fire inside a Grand Blanc Township church and setting it on fire, killing two people and injuring eight others.
In an exclusive interview with journalist Dave Bondy, candidate Kris Johns said he met Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, while canvassing last week for his campaign. Johns said the interaction began friendly but quickly took a dark turn when Sanford started talking about religion.
“I’m running for city council and I was canvassing,” Johns said. “I came across a gentleman who was very friendly. We just started to talk, and after a short while the conversation went to the Church of Latter-day Saints. He made the position multiple times that Mormons are the anti-Christ.”
Johns said Sanford described himself as a former Marine who had lived in Utah and had a relationship with a woman involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During their conversation, Sanford told him he had his tattoos removed to take part in church ceremonies.
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“He was extremely nice at first,” Johns said. “He even talked about his child who had a serious medical concern. But when the conversation turned to religion, I just wanted to get off the door and away from him.”
Johns said Sanford’s comments were intense but not violent or threatening.
“It wasn’t anything I thought I needed to call police about,” he said. “You hear all kinds of views these days. Nothing about it suggested he was going to hurt anyone.”
Days later, Johns said he recognized Sanford’s face in news coverage of Sunday’s shooting and fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.
“I saw his picture and I was in shock,” Johns said. “It’s insane. My daughter’s therapist’s office is right down the road. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Authorities said Sanford drove his pickup truck through the front doors of the church during Sunday morning services before opening fire on the congregation. Two people were killed and eight others were injured. Hundreds of worshippers were inside, including children.
Officers arrived within seconds of the 911 call. Police said Sanford exchanged gunfire with officers and was shot and killed at the scene. Investigators said Sanford also started a fire inside the church before being stopped. Officials are continuing to search for a motive.
Johns said his heart breaks for everyone affected.
“My heart breaks for everyone involved,” he said. “We all need to be praying for the victims, for law enforcement, and for our community.”
You never know when someone is going to lose it and go after someone. He gave the council member the creeps, but he was non-threatening. Maybe the council member was to naive to perceive it as a threat. He obviously didn't like the Church of Latter Day Saints. His beef was with one in Utah, not one in Michigan.
Wow. How could he have predicted that he would do that though? What would the police have done unless there was an actual verbal threat to do just that?