AP Photo/Ryan Sun
A fundraiser for the family of the suspect in a mass shooting and fire attack against a Michigan church this week has received more than $90,000.
Four people were killed and another eight injured after a gunman opened fire and set ablaze a Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan on Sunday. The suspected gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, was killed by police at the scene.
Despite the suspect’s alleged anti-Mormon beliefs, thousands of Mormons flocked to a GiveSendGo fundraiser on Tuesday to support Sanford’s widow and children, raising nearly $100,000.
“Like all of you, I was shocked by the murders at the LDS chapel in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on September 28. Multiple families were left grievously wounded and in need of help,” wrote the organizer of the fundraiser, David Butler:
One of the families that suffered a terrible loss on that day was the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the shooter. Sanford leaves behind a wife and children who must be grieving. They will face financial hardship and psychological trauma as a result of this week’s horrifying events. On top of that, one of the Sanford sons deals with serious medical challenges that require ongoing care, treatment, and specialized support. In the past, the family attempted to raise funds for him, but with limited success.
He continued, “I have no connection to the Sanfords or to Grand Blanc. I am an ordinary member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” before adding:
But James teaches us that “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.” The purpose of this GiveSendGo is to do that. Every donation will go to help provide for the Sanford family daily needs, provide for ongoing medical treatment, and create some stability in a time of heartbreak and upheaval. Thank you for your kindness, your compassion, and your willingness to lift up those who are suffering.
As of reporting, the fundraiser is on track to quickly reach its $100,000 target, having raised more than $10,000 in a single hour.
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