President Donald Trump on Sunday called for an end to an “epidemic of violence” across the United States following a shooting that left casualties at a Mormon church in Michigan, calling it a “targeted attack” against Christians.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he was “briefed on the horrendous shooting” and that the FBI was “immediately” on the scene after the shooting.
The president added in all caps that “this epidemic of violence in our country must end, immediately.”
Trump appeared to reference recent high-profile shootings, including a mass shooting at a Catholic church last month, the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this month, and a shooting that left one person dead at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Dallas several days ago. A shooting at a North Carolina marina on Saturday night also left three people dead and eight others injured.
Hundreds of people were inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township when a 40-year-old man rammed his vehicle into the front door, exited the vehicle, and started shooting, Police Chief William Renye told reporters in a news conference.
The suspect is believed to have also set the church on fire, Renye said. Flames and smoke could be seen for hours before the blaze was put out. First responders were then seen sifting through the wreckage.
“We do believe we will find some additional victims once we find the area where the fire was,” Renye said.
The suspect used an assault rifle in the shooting, Renye said.
An assault rifle generally refers to a select-fire, fully automatic rifle. Machine guns were effectively banned in a 1986 measure called the Firearm Owners Protection Act, only allowing machine guns that were made before 1986 available to civilians and generally making them rare and expensive to obtain.
Police said they did not yet have a motive for the fire or shooting. The church, encircled by a parking lot and a large lawn, is located near residential areas and a Jehovah’s Witness hall.
“The Church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected,” the statement from church spokesperson Doug Andersen reads. “We offer thanks to the emergency responders who are assisting victims and families.”
“Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection,” Andersen added.
Other officials at the state and federal level issued a statement in the wake of the shooting, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
