Grand Blanc Township church destroyed in deadly attack plans to rebuild

Anne Snabes, The Detroit News on Sep 18, 2026

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DETROIT — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township plans to rebuild after a devastating attack last fall left four parishioners dead and its building destroyed, with a groundbreaking ceremony to be held on the exact first anniversary of the tragedy.

The event will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and will be broadcast on YouTube. The meetinghouse will be built in the same location that its previous meetinghouse stood on McCandlish Road in Grand Blanc Township, said Alana Asbury-Morley, assistant communications director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Southeast Michigan Region.

"We are grateful for all the care and support shown to our community this past year," said a post by the unofficial Facebook page for the Grand Blanc Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On Sept. 28, 2025, Jake Sanford drove his truck into the church and opened fire on the congregation during Sunday services. Four people — John Bond, Thelma Armstrong, Craig Hayden and William "Pat" Howard — were killed in the attack, six more were injured and the building was destroyed in a fire set by Sanford.

The FBI later confirmed that the attack was a targeted act of violence believed to be motivated by Sanford's anti-religious beliefs against the Mormon religious community. Sanford shot 10 people in the attack. Two people died from gunshot wounds and two bodies were found in the rubble left by the blaze.

Sanford was eventually shot and killed by law enforcement officers after they arrived on the scene.

It's unclear where the church has been meeting since the attack, but the church is inviting people to join a live broadcast of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new meetinghouse. Church meetinghouses are dedicated spaces used for worship, gospel learning, fellowship, and other activities.

"Because the site is an active construction area, in-person attendance is limited, but we'd love to share this significant milestone with you via live broadcast," the Facebook page said.

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(Staff writer Max Bryan contributed to this story.)

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