Ex-Marines showed signs of paranoia, anti-Mormon sentiment before separate shootings

Authorities have not identified motives from this weekend’s two separate mass shootings in which Marine Corps veterans were charged as the suspects, but public records and local media reports may offer some insight into what could have spurred the violence.

Police in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, identified Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old former Marine, as the lone gunman who killed four people and wounded eight others Sunday after he crashed his car into a Mormon church and began shooting at congregants. Officers shot and killed Sanford at the scene.

A day earlier in North Carolina, authorities charged Nigel Edge, a 39-year-old former Marine, in a “highly pre-meditated” mass shooting that left three dead and wounded another eight people after he was accused of driving a boat up to a waterfront bar and opening fire on patrons.

Less than a week before Sunday’s attack at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a city council candidate who had spoken to Sanford said the gunman had referred to Mormonism as “the Antichrist.”

Kris Johns, a hopeful for the Burton City Council, said his Sept. 22 conversation with Sanford had started friendly. The two talked about their children, the Second Amendment, Sanford’s tour in Iraq and his issues with drug addiction.

But Mr. Johns said Sanford then asked him about his thoughts on religion, which segued into the gunman’s impassioned rant against Mormonism. He peppered Mr. Johns, who is not a Mormon, with questions about the religion’s founding, its holy book, the Latter-day Saints movement and the role Jesus plays in the religion, Mr. Johns said.

“There’s certain things you don’t forget,” Mr. Johns told The Detroit Free Press. “This is not a forgettable guy.”

President Trump said Sunday that the Michigan shooting “appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Monday told Fox News that the killer “hated people of the Mormon faith.”

The FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting, and said it is treating the incident as an act of “targeted violence.”

Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said Monday that there are no other victims expected in the attack in which Sanford also burned down the church. Sanford dumped gasoline on the house of worship and set it ablaze during his 10-minute rampage, authorities said.

One victim is still fighting for life at a hospital. The other seven are in stable condition. They range in age from 6 to 78.

Chief Renye said Sanford had prior arrests for burglary and driving while intoxicated.

A Marine Corps spokesperson did not offer a comment on either man’s charges when reached by The Washington Times, but did share both suspects’ service records.

Sanford served from 2004 to 2008 and worked as an organizational automotive mechanic and a vehicle recovery operator.

Sanford, who achieved the rank of sergeant, was awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, an Iraq Campaign Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal.

He was deployed to Iraq from August 2007 to March 2008.

Mr. Edge, the suspect in the Southport, North Carolina, shooting, was scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday afternoon on charges murder, attempted murder and weapons related offenses.

The Marine Corps said Mr. Edge, who legally changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023, served as an assaultman and in reconnaissance between 2003 and 2009. His two tours in Iraq were from January-August 2005 and March-May 2006.

He achieved the rank of sergeant and was awarded a Purple Heart, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, an Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, a Humanitarian Service Medal, an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal.

In 2020, Mr. Edge published a book under his former name titled “Headshot: Betrayal of a Nation.” He accused his brothers in arms of intentionally shooting him, including once in the head.

“Sean DeBevoise was nearly killed by his own Marines, and for reasons that are boggling to the outside mind,” the book’s description reads. “Putting the pieces together still today, Sean has come to realize that a dangerous web was woven between the US Marines, a hunger for honor, and jealousy that traced all the way back to his family at home.”

North Carolina court records showed Mr. Edge tried to sue the Brunswick Medical Center in January after he claimed the hospital was part of a conspiracy of LGBTQ White supremacists who tried to kill him.

The court filing references a news article that said Mr. Edge was expected to use a wheelchair following his injuries in Iraq, but intensive rehab managed to change that.

He also filed a lawsuit in May against Generations Church, claiming it participated in a conspiracy to traffic Mr. Edge and tried to poison him because he was heterosexual.

The state’s online judicial database showed both cases were dismissed with prejudice.