GhLinks Media
The mother of the Michigan church shooter shared a post on Facebook about people who lack accountability just days before the massacre.
Brenda Walters-Sanford posted the message on September 26 – two days before her 40-year-old son Thomas Jacob Sanford smashed his truck into the Grand Blanc Township church, opened fire and set it the building ablaze, killing at least four people.
The post read: ‘Talking to someone who constantly avoids accountability is not a real conversation – it’s a battle. It’s a cycle of deflection, projection, twisting, and playing the victim..
‘When I try to express how your actions have hurt me, you don’t listen with the intention of understanding; you listen with the intention of defending yourself. That’s not communication – that’s self-preservation of your ego.’
The text appears to have been shared by several Facebook users, suggesting its a viral chain. It is unclear of Walters-Sanford was directing it at her son or someone else she knew.
It continued: ‘I don’t owe my peace to someone who only wants to win an argument, not to understand my heart. My energy is not a prize for someone committed to misunderstanding me. At some point, you have to value yourself enough to stop begging someone to hear you.’
Days after Walters-Sanford posted the message, her son, an ex-Marine, smashed a pickup into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in Michigan, opened fire and set the building ablaze during a crowded Sunday service. He was then was fatally shot by police.
At least four people were killed and eight wounded on Sunday, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.
The attack occurred about 10.25am while hundreds of people were in the building in Grand Blanc Township, outside Flint.
The man got out of the pick-up with two American flags raised in the truck bed and started shooting, Police Chief William Renye told reporters.
The attacker apparently used gas to start the fire and also had explosive devices but it wasn’t clear if he used them, said James Dier, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
One family friend told journalist Ty Steele that Sanford had been battling PTSD.
‘It’s hard to feel sad for someone who did something so terrible, and I still feel sad. I had heard through family events that he had had PTSD,’ she said.
‘He would make comments occasionally and it was something that was kind of talked about. It wasn’t talked about in depth… so I don’t know the depth of his issues.’
Sanford’s loved ones, including his wife and both of his parents, also frequently shared pro-Trump messaging on their social media pages.
On Sunday, just hours before Sanford’s name was released to the public, his mother had shared a lengthy post about Trump and hoping he would bring in tighter rules for Congress members.
‘Life isn’t a FREE RIDE!! No matter what JOB you have!!’ she wrote.
She also frequently posted about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death, indicating she believed there was ‘more to’ the shooting.
The FBI is leading the investigation and considered it an ‘act of targeted violence,’ said Ruben Coleman, a special agent in charge for the bureau.
Officers responding to a 911 call were at the church within 30 seconds, Renye said. After the suspect left the church, two officers pursued him and ‘engaged in gunfire,’ killing him about eight minutes later, the chief said.
People inside the church shielded children and moved them to safety during the attack, Renye said.
Flames and smoke poured from the large church for hours before the blaze was extinguished.
Two bodies were found during a search of the debris, and Renye said more victims could be found as the search continues. One of the wounded people was in critical condition Sunday evening and the seven others were stable.
Renye said ‘some’ people were unaccounted for, but he didn’t have an exact number.
Michigan State Police Lieutenant Kim Vetter said bomb threats were made at other churches in the area after officers shot and killed Sanford. No bombs were found and police were investigating the threats.
