At Least 'Three Improvised Devices' Found Among Church Fire Rubble in Michigan

Grand Blanc, Michigan—September 28, 2025

A yet to be identified gunman crashed his vehicle through the front doors of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during Sunday morning worship services. The suspect unleashed a barrage of gunfire that claimed at least three lives and wounded at least nine others before deliberately setting the building ablaze. Investigators sifting through the smoldering aftermath uncovered three mysterious devices, raising fears of a broader plot in what authorities are calling one of the deadliest attacks on a house of worship this year.

The assault unfolded around 10:25 a.m. local time at the church located in Grand Blanc Township, a suburb about seven miles southeast of Flint in Genesee County. Hundreds of parishioners—families, elders, and children gathered for a routine sacrament meeting—were packed into the chapel when the 40-year-old suspect from nearby Burton barreled his truck through the entrance, shattering glass and splintering wood in a deafening crash.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of pandemonium as the man emerged from the wreckage clutching an assault-style rifle, firing indiscriminately into the crowd.

"We heard the boom, like an explosion, and then the shots started—pop, pop, pop," recounted Sarah Jenkins, a 32-year-old mother who escaped with her two young children through a side exit. "People were screaming, diving under pews. It was like something out of a nightmare. Then we smelled smoke, and the flames just... whooshed up."

Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye, addressing a throng of reporters outside the charred remains of the church in the afternoon, confirmed the grim toll: two parishioners killed outright, with eight more hospitalized—two in critical condition from gunshot wounds and smoke inhalation.

Among the dead was a 58-year-old deacon who reportedly shielded several youth from the gunfire, and a 71-year-old woman struck while attempting to flee. The suspect himself was fatally shot in a fierce exchange with responding officers as he attempted to flee the scene in his damaged vehicle.

But it was the discovery in the fire's aftermath that has investigators on high alert. As crews from the Grand Blanc Township Fire Department finally contained the blaze—described by Renye as "deliberately set" by the gunman using an accelerant poured from canisters in his truck—bomb squad technicians unearthed three suspicious devices amid the debris.

Preliminary assessments suggest they could be improvised explosive devices (IEDs), though officials cautioned that full analysis is ongoing. "These weren't toys," Renye said gravely during the briefing. "We're treating this as a potential bomb threat until proven otherwise. The scene is a forensic nightmare—crash damage, bullet casings, fire damage—but we're leaving no stone unturned."

The suspect, whose identity has not been publicly released pending notification of next of kin, had no prior criminal record but lived just a few miles away in Burton. Authorities are poring over his cell phone records, social media, and property for clues to a motive, which remains elusive.

Church spokesperson Doug Anderson, in a somber statement, decried the "tragic act of violence" that shattered what should have been a day of peace and reflection. "Our hearts ache for the victims and their families," Anderson said. "We are praying for healing in this unimaginable time."

The attack comes amid a rash of mass shootings across the U.S. this weekend, including a deadly barrage from a boat at a North Carolina waterfront bar that killed three and injured eight just hours earlier.

 Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, visibly shaken in a midday address, vowed full state resources for the probe and called for an end to the "epidemic of gun violence plaguing our places of worship." U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed the sentiment, labeling the incident "heartbreaking and chilling" and urging prayers for the Grand Blanc faithful.

As the sun set over the taped-off wreckage—twisted metal, soot-blackened walls, and wilted flowers laid in impromptu tribute by stunned locals—the community began its mournful vigil. Counselors fanned out to support survivors, while federal agents joined local teams in a race against time to decode the devices and the darkness that drove one man to such horror.

"This church was our anchor," said longtime member Elijah Thompson, his voice cracking as he stared at the ruins. "Now it's ashes. But we'll rebuild—stronger, together. For those we lost." 

This is a developing story

17GEN4.com