An online fundrizer for the family members of the person who set fire Michigan The church and set It Ablass have raised more than $ 275,000 on Thursday, which the organizer has described as “tornado of love and forgiveness”.
On Sunday, 40-year-old Thomas “Jake” Sanford close his pickup truck to the Grand Blanc Township at the Church of Jesus Christ of-De Sents Chapel. MintShot at the congregation and set the building on fire.
Four people were killed in the attack, injuring eight others and destroyed the church. Police Killed Sanford at the scene.
Dave Butler, A Uta The Church of Jesus Christ of Litter-Day Saints and a lifelong member saw news coverage of the attack for hours. The next day, he admitted that Sanford’s family was also a victim of attack.
“We understand that there is a family that needs to be taken care of,” he said.
Butler on Tuesday morning established the funderizer on the platform. He took advantage of media connections with his participation in Podcast about Letter-Day Sants Faith to help promote funding.
Donated and the effort quickly attracted attention, too, highlighting many people, more familiar with efforts to raise money online for mass firing victims in the US.
Officials have not discussed Sanford’s objective for the attack this week, although they have described it as “the act of target violence” by Sanford alone. For a long time friends have said that they have expressed hatred of faith Morms The church after staying in Utah, where he dated but later broke with a woman who was a member of faith.
Butler’s original goal was to raise $ 10,000 to get something for the family through the next few months.
He said that many members of faith have clarified that contributing to the fund seems to be the right way to respond to the tragedy.
“I think I am rightly responding to an attack against us. Not to get justice, not to get justice, to blame the wrong people,” said Butler.
In 48 hours, over 7,000 people contributed to the Funderizer for the Sanford family, as it was posted, raised more money than online funding verified for those who were killed or injured in the attack. Many left messages saying that they are members of the broad church.
“Another letter-day here here, praying for this family during these challenging times, praying,” a donor who wrote, who did not listen to a name.
A lawyer for the Sanford family on Thursday did not return a message left by the Associated Press. In the previous written statement by his lawyer, family members said, “No word can not express our grief for victims and their families adequately.”
Butler pointed to several tenants of his faith, inspiring potential contributors, including the Christian ideal and “second cheek” of forgiveness.
Butler said, “James’s episode asks to take care of widows and orphans.” “Jesus says,” Blessed are those who mourn. They will get rest. ”
Butler said he was in touch with the Sanford family and believes that the messages left by many donors were meaningful for him online.
“The incident is terrible. There is no way around it,” said Butler. “I hope treatment may come soon and it may be part of the treatment experience.”