'Drop it now!': Video shows Michigan church shooter was ordered to give up before he was killed

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A vehicle that was rammed into the building is surrounded by smoke as a firefighter works on the scene at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Lukas Katilius/The Flint Journal via AP)

Investigators walk in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. where Sunday morning a man rammed his vehicle into the building before opening fire and setting the building ablaze, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) — A vehicle that was rammed into the building is surrounded by smoke as a firefighter works on the scene at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Mich., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Lukas Katilius/The Flint Journal via AP)

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1:17 PM on Friday, October 3

By ISABELLA VOLMERT and ED WHITE

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.

Four white crosses with blue hearts were set up down the street from the ruins of the church property. Each cross has the name of someone who died: Craig Hayden, William “Pat” Howard, John Bond and Thelma Armstrong. Flower bouquets were placed there, and votive candles burned Friday.

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White reported from Detroit.