THE wife of the Michigan church shooting suspect shared a post online about marriage – just months before the horror unfolded.
Thomas Sanford, who previously served in Iraq, plowed his car into a Mormon church before killing four, cops said.
He opened fire while hundreds of worshippers at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, gathered for a Sunday service.
Ex-Marine Sanford, 40, was killed after cops said he lit a fire that set the church alight.
Investigators searched his car, where they found improvised explosive devices, and the word Iraq was on his license plate.
Public records seen by the Wall Street Journal show Sanford was married to a woman named Tella.
A Facebook account linked to the woman believed to be his wife shared a post in June about parenthood.
“A good way to prepare yourself for parenthood is to talk about rocks because they have similar listening habits,” the post said.
“And marriage,” she quipped.
Her account also shows the couple on vacations.
More than 100 worshippers were in the church when Sanford allegedly opened fire.
Cops received their first call at around 10:25am local time and swooped onto the scene within 25 seconds.
Sanford used an assault rifle to fire several rounds at those inside, according to police.
He was neutralized at 10:33am in the parking lot.
Five people, including the shooter, have been confirmed dead.
Two of those had gunshot wounds.
The victims who were killed have not yet been identified.
Eight people were injured in the shooting.
Investigators are still searching what remained of the church that was gutted in the fire.
Cops suspect Sanford used gasoline as some sort of accelerant as he lit the church alight.
William Reyne, the Grand Blanc Township police chief, said the building was at a “total loss.”
He revealed that crews are in recovery mode as they try to pull victims from the debris.
“We do know that there are some that are unaccounted for,” he said.
Cops suspect Sanford was the only shooter behind the attack.
Witnesses who were inside the church spoke out about what unfolded.
CHAOS UNFOLDS
Sunday school teacher, Paula, said she and other worshippers rushed to their cars to escape the shooter’s rampage, as reported by the ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.
She recalled hearing a big bang before the doors of the building blew open.
“It’s devastating to know that I’ve lost friends and to see somebody would do this to our church,” she said.
Kristin Juarez, 54, thought the bang was the sound of the steeple falling, as reported by The New York Times.
Her husband John’s sleeve was stained by dried blood.
He had helped others carrying a person who had been shot.
And, churchgoer Paul Kirby’s leg was struck by a piece of shrapnel.
Several children were inside the building when shots were heard.
Details about the suspect’s background and history have started to emerge.
Sanford served in the Marines between 2004 and 2008 and was previously deployed to Iraq.
Speaking about the deployment, he told a local news outlet he was looking forward to serving abroad.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the culture and the people of Iraq,” he reportedly told a homecoming crowd.
The motive of the shooting is being probed, but investigators say it was targeted.
Kash Patel, the FBI director, described the violence as “cowardly.”
And, President Donald Trump described the shooting as “targeted.”
“This appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America,” he posted on Truth.
“The suspect is dead, but there is still a lot to learn.”
Mourners hold a vigil on Sunday night[/caption]
