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.
The video shows only brief images from outside the chapel. Renye did not release video showing police with Sanford after he was killed, saying it wasn’t appropriate.
The video shows police yelling, “Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Drop it now!” One of the officers tells the other officer, “I’ve got your back. … Shoot him.”
Renye said at least eight shots were fired at Sanford. He said the entire incident lasted less than four minutes from the time of the first 911 call, not eight as initially reported.
Sanford had rammed his pickup truck into the chapel, repeatedly fired shots and set the building on fire last Sunday. Besides the deaths, eight people were injured.
Sanford’s friends said he had repeatedly expressed hatred for the Mormon church, as it is commonly called.
Three men in their 70s have been identified as deceased: Craig Hayden, William “Pat” Howard and John Bond. The fourth victim has not been publicly named.
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White reported from Detroit.
By ISABELLA VOLMERT and ED WHITE
Associated Press
