Because the investigations continued Tuesday into two separate mass shootings allegedly perpetrated over the weekend by Marine veterans wielding assault rifles, one in Michigan and the opposite in North Carolina, quite a few questions stay unanswered — chief amongst them motive.
The assaults at a waterfront bar in Southport, North Carolina, and at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, left seven folks lifeless and greater than a dozen injured.
To date, federal and state investigators have shed little mild on why the suspects, who had each been deployed to the Iraq Battle, allegedly dedicated the unrelated assaults.
Smoke and hearth rise, following an incident wherein a person crashed his automobile by the entrance doorways of a Michigan church and opened hearth with an assault rifle and set the church ablaze, in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Sept. 28, 2025.
Heem Vaniawala by way of Reuters
No further information conferences have been scheduled for Tuesday in both case.
Motive stays below investigation in each assaults
Investigators in Michigan alleged that round 10:25 a.m. on Sunday, 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan, rammed his pickup truck by the doorways of the LDS church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and let free a barrage of gunfire on lots of of individuals worshipping there earlier than setting hearth to the chapel.
4 folks had been killed within the assault and eight others had been injured, two critically, officers mentioned.
A pickup truck allegedly utilized by the suspect to ram the entrance doorways of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Grand Blanc, Michigan, in a lethal assault, September 28, 2025, sits outdoors the chapel as police examine the crime.
The Related Press
Sanford, who police mentioned acted alone, was killed throughout a gunfight with police, authorities mentioned.
Reuben Coleman, appearing particular agent in cost for the FBI Detroit area workplace, mentioned at a information convention on Monday that the assault is being investigated as “an act of focused violence.”
“We’re persevering with to work to find out a motive,” mentioned Coleman.
Requested by reporters why the assault is not thought of an act of home terrorism, Coleman mentioned, “As soon as we’re capable of confirm definitively what we’ve, that is once we’ll make these statements. However proper now, that is an act of violence.”
By comparability, federal officers had been fast to name a Sept. 24 sniper attack on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas that left two detainees lifeless, an act of terrorism.
Expounding on what he meant by “focused violence,” Coleman mentioned, “I imply focused inside our state and inside our neighborhood.”
Coleman mentioned investigators interviewed greater than 100 victims and witnesses within the first 24 hours of the investigation, however he shared little on what has been discovered in regards to the motive.
Michigan suspect expressed anger towards Mormons, buddies say
In an interview with ABC Information, Kris Johns, a candidate for Burton Metropolis Council, mentioned he met Sanford whereas campaigning simply days in the past and that Sanford expressed anger in direction of Mormons.
The person suspected of opening hearth on a Michigan LDS church on Sunday was a 40-year-old veteran of the Iraq Battle, in response to officers.
Brenda Walters-Sanford
Twin brothers Peter and Francis Tersigni of Michigan instructed ABC Information on Tuesday that they grew up in Michigan with Sanford, who they known as “Jake,” and confirmed he harbored an animus towards Mormons.
The brother mentioned that after leaving the navy in 2008, after serving 4 years in the usMarines, Sanford relocated to Utah for a job and dated a lady there who was Mormon, and that Sanford had talked about changing to the faith.
Peter Tersigni, who mentioned he was as soon as finest buddies with Sanford, mentioned that whereas dwelling in Utah, Sanford acquired closely into medicine, particularly methamphetamine.
“It messed his life up and it messed his head up. And it simply occurred to be on the time he was round Mormons,” Peter Tersigni mentioned.
Peter Tersigni mentioned Sanford moved again to Michigan round 2010. He mentioned Sanford would go off on tangents about Mormons, often whereas consuming alcohol, disparaging the church, however by no means attributing his adverse emotions in regards to the faith to his breakup with the Mormon girl he had dated.
North Carolina taking pictures carried out by ‘lone wolf’: Police
The North Carolina assault occurred round 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, about 12 hours earlier than the Michigan mass taking pictures, and investigators alleged it was carried out by 40-year-old Nigel Edge, whom they described as a “lone wolf,” who opened hearth from a ship on an outside waterfront bar in Southport, killing three folks and injuring 5 others.
“We imagine this was a focused location,” Southport Police Chief Todd Coring mentioned throughout a information convention on Sunday. “That is extremely premeditated from what we’re seeing presently.”
Suspected gunman Nigel Fringe of proven on this reserving photograph launched by police, September 28, 2025.
Southport Police Dept.
However Coring and different regulation enforcement officers have but to launch extra particulars on the potential motive.
Edge was detained shortly after the taking pictures in close by Oak Island as he was loading his boat at a public boat ramp, officers mentioned.
Edge is charged with three counts of first-degree homicide, 5 counts of tried homicide; and 5 counts of assault with a lethal weapon with the intent to kill or injure, officers mentioned. He has but to enter a plea to the fees and was appointed a public defender throughout his first courtroom look on Monday.
Prosecutors mentioned they’re weighing whether or not to pursue the loss of life penalty towards Edge.
Edge was awarded the Purple Coronary heart after being wounded in fight, in response to the U.S. Marine Corps.
The suspect legally modified his identify in 2023 from Sean Debevoise, writing in a petition to the courtroom, “There have been lots of occasions in my life that I do not perceive. Subsequently, I don’t belief my household, and I might really feel extra snug beginning my life in a brand new path with a brand new identify.”
Weapons utilized in every assault
Investigators mentioned in a prison grievance that Edge opened hearth on the Southport bar with a short-barrel AR rifle that was outfitted with a suppressor, a scope and a folding inventory. Authorities have but to reveal what number of photographs had been fired within the incident.
Within the Michigan assault, officers have solely described the weapon allegedly utilized by Sanford as an “assault rifle.”
Authorities have not mentioned publicly how both Edge or Sanford obtained their weapons. Authorities have additionally not commented on how lengthy they imagine every suspect deliberate their respective assaults.
Police examine a taking pictures, September 27, 2025, within the coastal North Carolina metropolis of Southport that left three folks lifeless and eight others injured
WWAY
After he was arrested, Edge instructed investigators that he was injured within the line of obligation as a Marine and mentioned that he suffers from post-traumatic stress dysfunction, in response to Coring.
Jon David, the native district lawyer, mentioned at a information convention on Sunday, that Edge had some minor contacts with regulation enforcement, “however nothing important in his previous which might give us any indication that we was able to such horror.”
Throughout a information convention on Monday, officers in Michigan mentioned Sanford had prior arrests for housebreaking and working a automobile whereas intoxicated.
Suspects’ connections to targets
Authorities haven’t disclosed if both Edge or Sanford had any earlier connections to the targets they allegedly attacked.
Within the Michigan taking pictures, witnesses mentioned they didn’t acknowledge Sanford as somebody related to the chapel.
Within the Southport taking pictures, authorities haven’t mentioned why Edge allegedly opened hearth on the American Fish Firm bar or if he was a patron of the institution. However Coring requested that anybody who was on the bar on Friday, the day earlier than the taking pictures, or Saturday evening to contact investigators instantly.
IEDs and American flags present in Michigan suspect’s truck
Concerning the Michigan assault, investigators recovered 4 improvised explosive gadgets from the pickup truck Sanford allegedly used to plow into the LDS chapel, James Deir, the particular agent accountable for the Detroit area workplace of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, mentioned on Monday.
ABC Information has discovered from sources aware of the investigation that the IEDs had been produced from consumer-grade fireworks.
Investigators imagine the suspect allegedly set the chapel ablaze after dousing it with gasoline, however it stays unclear what the suspect deliberate to do with the IEDs.
Investigators have additionally not commented on the potential which means of the American flags the Michigan suspect had connected to the rear mattress of the pickup truck used within the assault.
Deir mentioned the ATF’s Nationwide Response staff, comprised of a cadre of world-renowned arson and explosive investigators are concerned within the investigation.
ABC Information’ Andy Fies and Alex Perez contributed to this report.
