Mormon church members raise more than $150,000 for Michigan shooter’s family

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have collectively raised more than $150,000 for the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter who killed four people in an attack on a church in Michigan. 

The GiveSendGo campaign, as of Wednesday morning, has reached at least $152,000. On Sunday, Sanford opened fire at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township before setting the property ablaze. 

“One of the families that suffered a terrible loss on that day was the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter. Sanford leaves behind a wife and children who must be grieving,” wrote David Butler, the organizer of the fundraising effort. 

Butler described himself as an “ordinary member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” with no connections to either Sanford or Grand Blanc Township. Those who recently donated identified themselves as LDS church members from states including Missouri, Hawaii and Utah. 

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“[Sanford’s family] will face financial hardship and psychological trauma as a result of this week’s horrifying events. On top of that, one of the Sanford sons deals with serious medical challenges that require ongoing care, treatment, and specialized support,” Butler added. “In the past, the family attempted to raise funds for him, but with limited success.” 

“Every donation will go to help provide for the Sanford family daily needs, provide for ongoing medical treatment, and create some stability in a time of heartbreak and upheaval,” he also said. 

The outpouring of support comes as two friends of Sanford told The Associated Press that he long harbored hatred toward The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Sanford began making those sentiments known years ago following his return from Utah, where he dated but later broke up with a girlfriend who was a member of the Mormon faith, the two childhood friends said. Sanford had moved to Utah after leaving the Marines and told his friends he had become addicted to methamphetamines, according to the AP. 

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One time that Sanford spouted off about his grievances against the church was at a wedding 13 years ago, one of the friends said. 

“We were like, ‘come on,’ we don’t want to hear this,” Bobby Kalush, who grew up down the road from Sanford, told the AP. “When he came back from Utah, he was a completely different person.” 

Around bonfires with friends, it wasn’t unusual for Sanford to start talking about how Mormons were going to take over, added Frances Tersigni. 

“It was just so random. It was like, ‘Why Mormons dude?’” Tersigni said. “It’s hard to explain. We didn’t take it serious.” 

“He never once, never, said ‘I’ve got to do something,’” Tersigni added. “There’s a Jake we all knew, and there was one who was hidden. It wasn’t apparent to us.” 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.