The first victim of a mass shooting at a Mormon church in Michigan this past weekend has been identified as a devoted grandfather and Navy veteran.
John Bond, 76, was one of four people killed Sunday when a gunman opened fire on congregants at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 50 miles north of Detroit, his family told ABC News.
Bond served nine years in the U.S .Navy and was a “well-known and loved member of his family and active in his community,” his family wrote on a GoFundMe page.
The software salesman was a father to six children and a grandfather to 10, his grieving loved ones told Fox 2 Detroit.
His wife recounted their final moments together, telling the outlet he had been dressed up in a suit for church. She recalled him saying his shoes needed to be shined, before adding: “I love you.”
Money from the fundraiser “will go towards a memorial service and to aid his wife, our grandma, Joanne Bond, to ease the navigation of this heartbreaking time,” the post added.
Bond’s loved ones remembered him as “a lover of golf and trains and always loved spending time with his family and grandkids,” according to the fundraiser.
Sunday’s service ended in horror after a gunman, identified by police as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, rammed his truck into the church, set the building on fire and began shooting at worshippers.
One shooting victim died at the scene, another died in hospital, and two others were killed in the fire. At least seven other people – aged 6 to 78 – were injured in the attack. Sanford was killed in a shootout with police. The rest of the deceased have not been identified.
Authorities had previously cautioned they may find additional victims as they combed through charred rubble at the scene. But by Monday all church-goers were accounted for, police said.
The FBI has deemed the attack — the second on a U.S. church in a month – an “act of targeted violence,” according to Ruben Coleman,special agent in charge. Authorities have not shared any possible motives.
Victims injured by gunshots and smoke inhalation
Eight victims, ranging in age from 6 to 78, were taken to Henry Ford Genesys Hospital following the attack.
One victim died in the operating room, Dr. Michael Danic, the hospital’s medical chief of staff, said Monday. The victim who died while undergoing surgery was Bond, The New York Times reported.
Ben Phelps, was shot in the abdomen, according to his mother, Beckie Swainston. Phelps’ six-year-old son, the youngest victim, was shot in the arm. The boy has since been released from the hospital.
Five victims suffered from gunshot wounds, and three suffered from smoke inhalation, hospital officials told CNN.
Eight victims were taken to the hospital following the attack, including one who has died from their injuries
Two gunshot victims, including one who suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, remain in critical condition, Danic said.
Two of the smoke inhalation patients have been discharged. The third was still intubated Monday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Danic said the horrifying attack was personal for some of his medical staff, as several resident physicians are also members of the Mormon church.
"Not only were they victims, they were also first responders, and having your friends and family come in injured and taking care of them is a really incredible experience. They were heroes. Those on the scene were absolute heroes, going in and out of the fire to drag people out, helping each other take care of the victims on the scene, and the community really came together,” Danic said.
Latest on the investigation into the suspect’s possible motive
The search for victims concluded Monday, and no other remains were found, law enforcement said.
Sanford, a Marine and Iraq War veteran, was identified by police as the gunman. He reportedly had an ex-girlfriend who was “extremely religious” and was pressured into joining the church, a friend told The New York Times.
Authorities have not shared a possible motive in the attack.
Authorities identified the suspected gunman as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a Marine and Iraq War veteran (Facebook)
The FBI is investigating reports that he “hated people of Mormon faith,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Monday.
The agency had conducted over 100 interviews while investigating the shooting, Fox News reported.
“In the past 24 hours, our investigative squads and specialty teams have been out all night exhausting leads, some of which are coming in from the public via tips,” said Reuben Coleman, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.
Investigators are conducting a physical search of Sanford’s residence, and authorities are working to get search warrants for digital media that may indicate his motive. The “exhaustive” investigation involves dozens of law enforcement personnel across the state of Michigan, a source told CNN.
People attend a vigil for victims of the Michigan church shooting that killed four people and left several others injured (AFP via Getty Images)
Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also examining “improvised explosive devices” found after the attack.
Even though Sanford was killed in the shootout, authorities remain focused on determining a possible motive, the source added.
During a Monday news conference, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged the public to remain patient as investigators continue their work.
"I want to caution everyone that while we are working hard, at this juncture speculation is unhelpful and it could be quite dangerous," Whitmer said, noting that she ordered flags in the state to be lowered to half-staff to honor the victims.
"Your grief is our grief," she added.
[SRC] https://www.inkl.com/news/first-victim-named-in-michigan-church-shooting-was-a-devoted-grandfather-and-navy-veteran
