Michigan church shooter hated Latter-day Saints due to ex-girlfriend: report

The shooter who killed four people at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan reportedly had animosity towards members of the faith stemming from a breakup with an ex-girlfriend around a decade ago, according to people who knew him.

The anger toward the faith also led the man to rant about the faith at his best friend's wedding, according to the New York Times. The shooter, identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, rammed a truck into the side of the building, set the building ablaze, and shot several of those at the Christian worship service. Peter Tersigni, who lives in Michigan, told the outlet that he had known Sanford since they were young and that they were best friends.

Sanford lived in Utah for a time and fell for a woman who was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The relationship, however, ended painfully for him, his friend said. “He got this whole fascination with Mormons, and they are the Antichrist, and they are going to take over the world,” Tersigni added.

Tersigni's twin brother recalled how Sanford brought the subject up at a wedding. “All he could talk about was Mormons,” he added. “I was like, dude, nobody wants to hear about this stuff.”

The woman he fell in love with was "extremely religious," Sandra Winter, 56, said, who rented a room to him. Sanford apparently felt pressured to join the church. "He wasn’t so sure that he wanted to become a member of the church,” Ms. Winter said. “But he really wanted to be with this woman.”

The account of those who knew him line up with statements from a political candidate who was out canvassing and spoke to Sanford just a week before the shooting. Kris Johns, who is running for city council, said that when he spoke to Sanford, the man repeatedly said, "Mormons are the Antichrist." He described Sanford as calm, but "under the surface, extremely angry."