Thomas Sanford: Michigan church suspect's mom's alleged post 2 days before shooting surfaces

The Michigan church shooting on Sunday left at least two dead and many injured, and the suspect has now been identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, a 40-year-old from Burton. Sanford was killed at the scene after he crashed his truck into the Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc and proceeded to open fire on the parishioners there.

Now, a purported post from his mother has been doing the rounds on X where she apparently speaks about ‘accountability’. To be sure, the alleged post has been shared by an unverified profile, with the claim that it was made by Sanford's mother two days prior to the shooting.

The person sharing the post on X said “The alleged mother of the Grand Blanc shooter Thomas Jacob Sanford wrote this on Facebook two days ago. I will not be sharing her name. She may have been having relationship issues with the shooter.”

In the post, Sanford's mother allegedly wrote “People lack accountability, then say, 'You could've talked to me.' No, I couldn't. You don't listen. You deflect. You twist everything into an attack and then play the victim. Conversations with you aren't healing-they're exhausting, draining, and emotionally suffocating.”

The post, which seemed to be made on Facebook, continued, “Every time I try to speak, it feels like walking through a maze of blame where my words are used against me, my intentions questioned, and my emotions invalidated. I end up questioning myself, doubting my own perceptions, because nothing I say lands without being turned into some justification for your behavior.”

“I've spent too long bending, softening, and framing my words to fit the narrative you want, hoping for connection, for understanding, for a simple acknowledgment of reality. But it never comes. Instead, there's defensiveness, twisting, and manipulation, all while you act like the wronged party. And honestly, I can't—and I won't-invest my emotional energy in someone who consistently prioritizes winning over understanding, control over empathy, and excuses over responsibility,” it also added.

Finally, it concluded with: “I don't owe my peace to someone who shows up only to argue, to gaslight, to manipulate, and then claim victimhood when the consequences of their actions are pointed out. My time, my energy, my clarity, and my emotional well-being are precious, and I am done sacrificing them for someone who refuses to engage honestly. I will protect my calm, my boundaries, and my truth, even if it means walking away from the illusion of connection you so desperately cling to but never truly embody.”

However, users have expressed doubt about the authenticity of the post. “No timestamp. No specific reference to any individual. You can’t even tell whether something like this would come from the mother or the son - no names or pronouns are used - There is nothing to connect this to the shooting in any way, I remain extremely skeptical,” a person on X commented.

Another said, “Sounds like an AI written passage.” HT.com could not verify if the post was made by Sanford's mother.

However, the post is definitely not Sanford's purported mother's original work. On Facebook, the same content was shared by a profile called King's Coach on September 22 and 25, which would both be before Sanford's purported mother alleged post. Notably, authorities are yet to announce a motive for the shooting.

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