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Bay Area Mormon community urges people to become peacemakers, after deadly shooting and fire at Michigan temple.
At the Mormon Temple in Oakland Monday, many people were still reeling from the violence at a church in Michigan Sunday night that resulted in multiple deaths and a massive fire that destroyed the Mormon church.
OAKLAND, Calif. -
In the United States, there have been many violent attacks on houses of worship, targeting people of all faiths.
Deadly church shooting
On Monday, the pain of seeing another deadly church shooting was hitting deep in the hearts of members at the Oakland Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
"When I heard about the news on Sunday morning, I got to tell you I was nervous about going to church on Sunday morning, but you know we can't hide," Rudy Wolf of Danville said.
Rudy Wolf and others say they are praying for their brothers and sisters at the Mormon church in Grand Blanc Township, south of Flint and about 60 miles northwest of Detroit.
The backstory:
Police say one gunman drove a truck into the building, opened fire, and then set the church on fire before being shot by police.
Investigators say the gunman was Thomas Sanford, 40, a husband, father, and U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and Japan.
"My heart breaks when I see what's happening in the United States because of these divisions which, in my opinion, are drummed up," Wolf said.
"I have friends that are all different religions as well as those who do not believe in God, but one of our articles of faith as a member of this church is that we give others the right to worship who, how and what they may," Marlynn Taylor of Oklahoma said.
Some people say it is a sign of how much the country needs to dial down the political rhetoric and find ways to connect.
"We have members of our own faith in many political parties, many different ethnic groups. And in fact, Bay Area, we are a very diverse community, and yet we reach across all of that," Arthur Jue, Communications Director of the Bay Area Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said.
Understanding our neighbors
Marlynn Taylor says everyone should start by doing their part to try and understand the people around them.
"My mom taught me that when we have people in our lives that are enemies or mean, we have no idea what that person has been through, and what has brought them to the place. I pray for those that were lost as well as the individual that did it," Taylor said.
"We live in a day when we just really need to love each other, no matter who, or what we are. We need to love each other," Taylor said.
Church members say the attack comes just as their worldwide conference is expected to start this weekend. They anticipated there will be prayers for the victims, as well as a recommitment to being peacemakers in the middle of these difficult times.
Grand Blanc church shooting: What’s known about suspected shooter Thomas Jacob Sanford
Police said a 40-year-old man from Burton was suspected of ramming his car into the church's front doors, open firing and "deliberately" starting a blaze.