A massive fire broke out at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on Sunday, even as officials rushed to respond to an active shooter situation with multiple victims inside. Reports have claimed that the entire building is on fire and the roof is beginning to collapse.
A video from the scene shows plumes of smoke emerging from the church as law enforcement and emergency crews worked to secure the area. Authorities are dealing with the dual emergencies and have not yet confirmed the number of casualties or the cause of the blaze, however, FOX 2 Detroit reported at least 6-8 victims following the shooting and fire at the Grand Blanc, Michigan church.
Grand Blanc Church shooting: Church building engulfed in fire
Shocking drone footage shared on social media shows entire churb building engulfed in flames. Authorities are warning people to avoid the area.
The Grand Blanc Township Police Department in Michigan, in a statement, said, “There’s has been an active shooter at the church of Latter Day Saints on McCandlish Rd. There are multiple victims and the shooter is down. There is NO threat to the public at this time. The church is actively on fire. For people on site, the reunification site is the pavilion to the north. Offsite reunification will be at Trillium theater at Holly and McCandlish. PLEASE AVOID THE AREA!!”
LDS Church President Passes Away
This comes a day after Russell M. Nelson, the oldest president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away at 101 in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. Church spokesperson Candice Madsen said in a statement that Nelson died at his home in Salt Lake City.
He was the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and spent four decades in the highest levels of church leadership.
His tenure included significant changes, such as a shift away from the terms “Mormon” and “LDS” and a more welcoming stance towards LGBTQ+ individuals, despite maintaining traditional views on marriage. Nelson also faced scrutiny over the church’s handling of sexual abuse reports.
(This is a developing story)
