Michigan, Sep 29 (NationPress) - On Sunday, a tragic incident unfolded in Grand Blanc, Michigan, where at least four individuals lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries due to a shooting that targeted a church and resulted in the building being set ablaze, according to local authorities.

The violent event took place early Sunday (local time) at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, situated to the northwest of Detroit.

In the evening, police confirmed that two additional bodies were retrieved from the wreckage of the charred church, raising the death toll from one earlier in the day to two.

During a press conference, Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye reported that the assailant drove his vehicle into the church while a large congregation was present, opening fire on those gathered with an assault rifle, as per reports from the Xinhua news agency.

The gunman, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old former US Marine, reportedly set fire to the church intentionally.

After engaging in a gunfight with police, the suspect, a veteran who had served in Iraq, was shot and killed by responding officers, according to law enforcement.

Chief Renye stated that investigators plan to examine the shooter's residence and phone records to ascertain his motives.

Earlier, local police disclosed that there were multiple victims in the shooting and that the entire church was engulfed in flames, advising the public to steer clear of the area as emergency services operated. The injured, including children, were rapidly transported to nearby hospitals.

In response to the incident, US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences on social media, noting that he had been briefed about the “horrendous” church shooting.

Trump remarked that the attack “seems to be yet another targeted assault on Christians in the United States” and indicated that the FBI was present at the scene. He emphasized that “this epidemic of violence in our country must end, immediately!”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated that she was receiving ongoing updates regarding the shooting in Grand Blanc.

“My heart is breaking for the Grand Blanc community,” Whitmer remarked on social media. “Violence anywhere, particularly in a place of worship, is unacceptable.”