CHURCH HELPS GUNMAN'S FAMILY

FAITHFUL BACK FUND-RAISING PUSH FOR KIN OF US MAN WHO FATALLY ATTACKED PARISH

- STORY: SONIA A RAO / NYT

A burned section of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sept 29.

The community of Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, devastated by a deadly shooting on a Latter-day Saints congregation last week, has pulled together to help one another in the aftermath.

Neighbourhood children handed out flowers and positive messages. Mums offered free hugs. And donations through multiple fundraising accounts popped up to cover medical costs for the injured or funeral expenses for the deceased.

One of those donation pages was set up to benefit an unexpected recipient: the family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the suspect who died in the shooting, which killed four people and injured eight others.

Sanford, authorities said, drove a truck into the church meetinghouse during a worship service on Sunday and opened fire with an assault-style weapon, shooting victims as young as 6. He was shot dead by police, and a fire then consumed the church.

The fund to benefit Sanford’s family has collected more than US$200,000 (6.4 million baht).

The idea to help the shooter’s family was spurred by the religious convictions of Utah-based writer Dave Butler, 53, also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mr Butler said he became concerned about who, if anyone, was supporting Sanford’s wife and child — “two more victims”, as he called them.