At least one person was killed and nine others wounded in a shooting at a Mormon church in Michigan on Sunday morning, police said.
The attacker drove a truck into the church in Grand Blanc, set the building on fire and opened fire on congregants before cops shot and killed him, according to authorities. He was identified only as a 40-year-old man.
“We are still trying to determine exactly when and where the fire ended up coming from and how it got started,” Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said. “We believe it was deliberately set, though, by the suspect.”
Investigators believe there may be more deceased victims who were trapped in the burning building. The inferno continued even after police shot and killed the gunman.
The building was packed with “hundreds” of people when the gunman began his attack, police said.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of prayers and concern from so many people around the world,” the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said in a statement. “Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”
The attacker’s motive was still under investigation on Sunday afternoon, and police searched his residence in Burton. Cops did not say if he was a member of the Mormon church.
The shooting came one day after Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Mormon Church, died at age 101. He was the oldest ever president of the church, and he will be succeeded by Dallin H. Oaks.
With News Wire Services
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