The Grand Blanc Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that was destroyed in a horrific attack about a year ago now plans to rebuild.
On Sept. 28, 2025, Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old man from nearby Burton, crashed his truck into the building, lit a fire and began shooting at churchgoers. All told, four churchgoers – Thelma Armstrong, William "Pat" Howard, John Bond and Craig Hayden – died in the attack, along with Sanford.
The FBI later posited that the shooting was a targeted act of violence against the LDS community, as local leaders and investigators began sharing details of Sanford's disdain for members of the religion.
The attack left the building, and the LDS community in Grand Blanc, in ruins.
Now, the church has said on a Facebook
page, it is time to rebuild: The Grand Blanc Township stake is breaking ground on a new meeting house in Grand Blanc, at the same location as the previous building, on the one-year anniversary of the attack.
"We are grateful for all the care and support shown to our community this past year," a Facebook post reads.
In remembrance of the tragedy the church will be hosting a live broadcast of the ceremony from the construction site where the new meeting house is being erected, according to the Facebook post. In-person attendance, the church said, is limited though the ceremony will be streamed live on YouTube on Sept. 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Contact Liam Rappleye: LRappleye@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: A year since deadly attack, Grand Blanc LDS plans to rebuild church
