According to the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the U.S. Cable Television News Network (CNN), on September 28 local time, details of Sanford's identity, the suspect in the Michigan church fire, were further exposed.
The local police said on the 28th that Sanford was from Burton, Michigan. On that day, he drove a pickup truck into the main entrance of a Mormon church in Great Blanc, and then fired at the crowd attending Sunday service with an assault rifle. During this period, he set fire to the church building, killing at least four people and injuring eight others. Sanford was killed on the spot in the crossfire with the police.
Greater Blank City police chief Rainey said that the motive for Sanford's act is still under investigation.
After the shooting, Sanford’s military career was highlighted. Officials said he also hanged labels of veterans of the Iraq War on the truck he hit the church.
Confirmed by the U.S. Marine Corps, Sanford served in the Marine Corps from June 2004 to June 2008 with the rank of sergeant. From August 2007 to March 2008, Sanford was deployed to fight in Iraq. Sanford was officially discharged from the Army in March 2008 after working in combat logistics at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
During his service, Sanford was specialized in the handling of military vehicle equipment; he served as a technician for inspecting,ining and repairing motor transport equipment such as tactical vehicles; and as a vehicle rescue operator for the return of armored vehicles to support military missions.
The U.S. Navy said that Sandford received numerous awards during his service, including the Medal of Excellence of the Navy, the Marine Deployment Medal, the Battle of Iraq Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Defense Service Medal.
According to the website information of Goodrich High School, where Sanford attended, Sanford graduated from the school in 2004 and was listed as one of the "veteran alumni". In 2007, a local media report about Sanford said that he had been deployed to Japan with the US Marine Corps, and then prepared to serve in Iraq.
Sanford and his family's social media accounts show that Sanford is married and has at least one young son. According to the website information of the online crowdfunding platform "GoFundMe", because Sanford's son suffered from a rare genetic disease when he was born in 2015, the Sanford family was in urgent need of donations to pay for medical expenses, and finally raised more than $3,000.
Sanford’s son wasly diagnosed with congenital hyperinsulinism, a condition that causes the pancreas to release too much insulin, and he needed long-term hospitalization, and underwent several surgeries to remove part of the pancreas.
The child's condition placed a heavy financial burden on the family in Sanford. A local news report pointed out that Sanford quit his job as a truck driver at Coca-Cola Company to spend time with his son.
Sanford said in a report: "Never take having healthy children for granted. We are proud of our children. I served in the Marine Corps for four years and have been to Iraq, but at present this matter (referring to my son's illness) is still the toughest challenge I have ever encountered."
Other posts on Sandford’s mother’s Facebook account revealed that Sandford was a hunter who posted photos of himself and the deer he hunted and other prey.
According to statistics, since the beginning of this year, there have been at least 324 mass shootings in the United States.
Just over 12 hours before the shooting in Michigan, another Iraqi Navy soldier, Eich, shot three people dead and eight wounded at a beach bar in North Carolina’s South Harbour, serving in the Navy for six years and receiving a Purple Heart Medal.