The Michigan man suspected of perpetuating a deadly attack at a Mormon church on Sunday hated the sect, according to longtime friends, and told at least one person he believed they were “the antichrist.”
The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, started making those feelings known after returning to Michigan from Utah, where friends said he dated a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
“We were like, ‘Come on, we don’t want to hear this,’” Bobby Kalush, who grew up with Sanford, told The Associated Press. “When he came back from Utah, he was a completely different person.”
“It was just so random. It was like, ‘Why Mormons, dude?’” said Frances Tersigni, one of Sanford’s best friends. “It’s hard to explain. We didn’t take it serious.”
Tersigni said Sanford, who was married and a father, didn’t seem dangerous, though friends noted he’d gotten addicted to methamphetamines after leaving the Marines in 2008 and moving to Utah.
“He never once, never, said ‘I’ve got to do something,’” Tersigni added. “There’s a Jake we all knew, and there was one who was hidden. It wasn’t apparent to us.”
Kris Johns, a candidate for Burton city council, told the Macomb Daily that he spoke to Sanford while knocking on doors for his campaign. After talking about gun rights, Sanford allegedly launched into an anti-Mormon tirade.
“After about 20 minutes of quiet pleasantries, kids, general background, it took a hard turn into religious beliefs,” Johns said.
“It kept going to, ‘They’re trying to put people above Jesus,’ and ‘They’re not Christians,’” Johns recalled. “He did make the statement that ‘Mormons are the antichrist.’”
Johns said he recognized Sanford when he saw news about the attack.
Sanford is accused of driving his truck into the side of a Grand Blanc Township Church of Latter-Day Saints, setting the building on fire and then fatally shooting two people and wounding eight. Another two were found dead in the rubble hours later.
Police have released few details about Sanford, who died after being shot by officers, and have refused to discuss a possible motive for the attack.
With News Wire Services
