Crime
Fourth victim of Grand Blanc LDS church shooting identified as Thelma Armstrong
Grand Blanc Township, MI – Authorities have identified Thelma Armstrong as one of the four victims killed in Sunday’s mass shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.
Armstrong, originally from Klerksdorp, South Africa, was widely known in her hometown as a respected general manager at Foodzone before immigrating to the United States in 2019.
Friends and family describe her as a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend, remembered for her kindness, generosity, and unwavering dedication to her loved ones.
She had been attending worship services on Sunday morning with her daughter, family, and other congregants when the devastating attack unfolded.
At approximately 10:25 a.m., authorities say 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford of Burton, Michigan, drove his pickup truck into the front entrance of the church before opening fire on congregants with an assault-style rifle.
He later set the building ablaze, triggering a massive fire that caused the roof to collapse.
In total, four people were killed and eight others injured. Emergency crews confirmed that the church building is a total loss.
Search-and-rescue teams continue to work through the debris to ensure no additional victims remain unaccounted for.
Sanford was killed during an exchange of gunfire with responding officers.
The FBI, ATF, and local law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the case, including Sanford’s motives.
Sanford, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, served from 2004 to 2008, including a deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Records describe him as a mechanic and vehicle recovery operator. He was also known as a husband, father, and outdoorsman. Sanford had prior arrests for burglary and operating while intoxicated.
Armstrong’s family in the U.S. and South Africa are devastated by the loss. They described her as a woman of strength, love, and faith. She leaves behind her children and grandchildren, who are now mourning the irreplaceable absence of their beloved matriarch.
Her family has launched an appeal for support to help with funeral and memorial expenses, expressing gratitude for the compassion shown during this tragedy.
This attack comes less than 24 hours after another mass shooting in Southport, North Carolina, where a Marine veteran opened fire at a bar, killing three people and injuring eight others.
Both incidents involved Iraq War veterans, raising further questions as federal authorities review possible connections and wider implications.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.