Video shows church shooter was ordered to give up before he was killed

By ISABELLA VOLMERT and ED WHITE, Associated Press

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Police responding to a mass shooting at a Michigan church quickly encountered the gunman and killed him after repeatedly demanding, “Drop the gun! Drop it now!” according to bodycam video released Friday.

A 47-second video was released by police, five days after four people were killed inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, near Flint. The gunman, Thomas “Jake” Sanford, also died.

Chief William Renye praised the “very courageous actions” of a state conservation officer and another local officer who ran to the sounds of gunfire.

“This is what law enforcement is trained to do, and this is how law enforcement should respond to these incidents,” Renye said.

Investigators walk in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. where Sunday morning a man rammed his vehicle into the building before opening fire and setting the building ablaze, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Law enforcement officers walk outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Dan Beazley, of Northville, prays during a vigil held at the Henry Ford Genesys Regional Hospital for the Sunday morning shooting at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Mich., Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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Investigators walk in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. where Sunday morning a man rammed his vehicle into the building before opening fire and setting the building ablaze, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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