After Michigan Church Shooting, Unusual Fundraiser Raises $200,000 for Suspect’s Family
In the wake of the tragic September 28, 2025, shooting at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, an extraordinary story of community response has emerged. While much of the nation’s focus has been on supporting the victims and their families, one man has raised more than $200,000 to aid the family of the suspect, Thomas Jacob Sanford.
The shooting, which left multiple people dead and injured, has shocked the local community and brought intense media attention. Amidst this somber atmosphere, many fundraising campaigns quickly mobilized under verified efforts to assist victims and their relatives through platforms like GoFundMe, which has verified and aggregated several relief fundraisers to support those impacted[1].
However, an unexpected fundraiser arose that sought financial support not for the victims but for the family of the alleged gunman, Sanford. This campaign, spearheaded by a private individual whose motivations remain unclear to the public, garnered over $200,000, sparking debate across social and news platforms about the appropriateness and ethics of aiding a shooter’s family.
Details about Sanford’s background have been partially uncovered. According to reports, Sanford had a tense interaction just a week prior to the shooting when attempting to get his son baptized at The River Church in nearby Goodrich[2]. This information adds context but raises more questions about his motives and state of mind leading up to the attack.
The community of Grand Blanc Township is now grappling with a complex emotional and social dilemma: while there is overwhelming sympathy for the victims, there also is an undercurrent of empathy towards family members of the perpetrator, who may be suffering stigmatization and financial hardship following the tragedy.
The fundraising platform GoFundMe continues to host multiple verified campaigns intended for different purposes related to the shooting. Their Trust & Safety team monitors these initiatives to ensure legitimacy and to protect donors under their Giving Guarantee policy[1].
This incident highlights the multifaceted impact of violent events on communities—not solely the direct victims but also family and acquaintances of those involved. It also raises broader questions about healing, justice, and public response after such tragedies.
As investigations continue and the community mourns, the presence of a significant fundraiser for the suspect’s family adds a new layer to the story, reflecting the complexities of grieving and support in the aftermath of a church shooting.