Donations Surge for Victims‘ Families Following Michigan Church Shooting
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI – An outpouring of support is flowing to families impacted by the shooting at a Michigan church on Sunday, as donations rise and communities rally around those affected. Eight people were injured in the attack,which authorities are investigating as a targeted act of violence.
The shooting, which occurred during a service attended by hundreds, has shocked both the local community and churches nationwide. Fundraisers established for victims and their families have received critically important contributions, and flags throughout Michigan have been lowered to honor those impacted. Vigils have been held by neighbors, including members of different denominations, demonstrating widespread grief and solidarity.
Amidst the tragedy, one survivor shared a powerful message of forgiveness. In a letter shared with CBS News, the woman – whose name is being withheld to protect her family’s privacy – described a moment of connection with the gunman as she knelt beside her father, who was killed in the attack.
“When he [the gunman] came over to me I felt very calm, peaceful even as I kneeled next to my dad, my hands still on dad,” she wrote. “I never took my eyes off his eyes, something happened, I saw pain, he felt lost. I deeply felt it with every fiber of my being,” she continued. “I forgave him, I forgave him right there, not in words, but with my heart.”
Investigators continue to search for a motive in the shooting. The alleged gunman, identified as Jeffrey Sanford, 40, is a former Marine who served in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a sergeant, according to a previous interview with Clarkston News. Sanford has a prior arrest record including charges of burglary and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He resides in a suburb of Flint, a city of approximately 30,000 people located a few miles from Grand Blanc Township.
