“It was a nightmare,” Thomas Sanford said since when his son allegedly fired a fire at a Michigan church Sunday morning.
Thomas Sanford apologised to those killed and injured in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, and his son, Thomas Jacob Sanford, attacked the church during Sunday morning service.
“I feel horrible to all the hurt families and they’re the same crap I go, my wife and I go down,” Sanford said. “We apologize.”
Sanford spoke to Detroit Free Press, part of the USA Today Network in a short phone interview on Monday, September 29th. He told reporters he was wary and didn’t want to say much.
Investigators say his 40-year-old son plunged his pickup truck into the Latter-day Saints’ Church of Jesus Christ before climbing up and firing attack rifles at the congregation. They also believe he grabbed the fire that destroyed the church.
Four church members were killed in the attack. Eight other people were injured. Young Sanford died in a shootout with police.
His father said the young Sanford was a four-year Marine who served in Iraq. Sanford wouldn’t have said whether the war changed his son or not.
“He’s back. I’m glad he’s back on one,” Sanford said. “He was in logistics. He drove a tow and went outside and picked up the car. Once he was on fire, but most of the time he was fine.”
Sanford said his son was dedicated to his family and his country.
“He loved the United States. He loved his family,” Sanford said. “He was a good guy. He was a family man.”
Sanford did not speculate what drove his son to attack the church.
“The only thing I can say is that it was my son who did it,” Sanford said. “Why? It’s irrelevant. It happened. We’re dealing with it. It was a nightmare.”
Investigators continue to search for motivation.
John Wisely: Please contact jwisely@freepress.com. x: @jwisely.
