The attacker killed at least four people and injured eight others. Officials are still searching for some who are missing after the deadly assault on the church in Grand Blanc, about 50 miles northwest of Detroit.

Grand Blanc Police Chief William Renye said, "We're working tirelessly to find additional bodies. So to answer your question, the entire church has not been cleared because it's a total loss due to the fire."

Hundreds of people were gathered for worship inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints facility on Sunday morning when the gunman opened fire.

Police say the suspect, 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, an Iraq war veteran, rammed a pickup truck through the front door, got out, and started shooting. Then he started a fire.

Police responding to the scene in less than 30 seconds confronted the shooter. He fled the church and died in a shootout in the parking lot.

The flames consumed the building, forcing firefighters to retreat as the roof collapsed.

A teacher at the church was inside when the attack began. "One of our counselors was up speaking and we heard a big bang and then the doors flew open," the woman named Paula described.

Investigators say the shooter used an assault rifle and may have had multiple improvised explosive devices inside his truck

"Our church is gone. I joined the church 38 years ago, and now it's gone," Paula said. "To think somebody would do this to my church."

The governor of Michigan posted on social media overnight, saying, "Violence anywhere especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable."

President Trump condemned the shooting on Truth Social, saying, "PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!"

The Mormon meetinghouse was already reportedly mourning the death of the 101-year-old president of the LDS national church, who passed just hours earlier.

Officials say they're searching the shooter's home just 8 miles from the church and poring through his cell phone records as they work to determine a motive. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

Wendy Griffith is a Co-host for The 700 Club and an Anchor and Senior Reporter for the Christian Broadcasting Network based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Egyptian Farmer's Find Reveals Giant Statue of Pharaoh Linked to Biblical Exodus

Elon Musk Wows the World: Unveils Flying Tesla Roadster at SpaceX Texas Site

Illegal Alien Busted Allegedly Hauling Enough Fentanyl To Potentially Kill State's Entire Population—Twice

Trump's Fraud Task Force Recovers Nearly $6 Billion While Targeting Medicare/Medicaid Duplicate Coverage

Now More Than Ever, the Survival of the Constitution Is on the Ballot

Turnout Surge among GOP Seniors Could Be Midterm's Biggest Surprise

Fact Check: Breaking Down Talarico's Claims at CNN Town Hall

Prayer Alert: Deadly Oregon Elementary School Shooting Could've Been Worse, But For Heroic Armed Bystander Who Stopped Teen Gunman

'I Still Can't Believe What God Did!' 550 Baptized in Freezing Waters of England

Christian Mom Fights Homeschool Battle: 'Government Cannot Exclude Religious People' (Video)

Facts Don't Lie: Republicans Dominate 5 Financially Healthiest State Governments, Democrats Run the 5 Worst

Social Security to Grant 3.6% Cost-of-Living Boost

491 Fugitives—'Dangerous Drug Traffickers, Rapists, and Sex Offenders'—Hiding in Public Housing Arrested in Nationwide Sweep

What We Know About the Omar Raid and the Allegations Behind It

President Trump Says Pentagon Won't Livestream Execution of Fort Hood Shooter

Virginia, Colorado Suspend Medicaid Coverage of Trans Procedures for Minors after Federal Rule Takes Effect

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Says God's at Center of Team Culture: 'That's Who I Am' (Video)

Pope Leo Diagnosed with Cancer Following Surgery to Remove a Third of His Right Lung

Victor Davis Hanson: Genocide Hypocrites

FBI Arrests OpenAI Engineer Over a Hidden Listening Device