Father of Michigan church shooter apologizes to victims

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The father of a former Marine who police say carried out a horrifying attack on a Michigan church full of worshippers is apologizing in an exclusive interview with the USA TODAY Network as the community grieves and looks for answers.

What should have been a peaceful Sunday of worship turned into the stuff of nightmares when police say 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford rammed a GMC pickup truck bearing two American flags into the church on Sunday, Sept. 28. He then opened fire on hundreds of worshippers and used gasoline to set the building ablaze, killing four people and injuring eight others, including one who was in critical condition, authorities said. Sanford was killed in a gunfight with police.

Sanford's father, Thomas Sanford, spoke about his son during a brief phone interview with the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Monday Sept. 29. He apologized to the families of the victims.

"I feel terrible about all the families that have been hurt and they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under," the elder Sanford said, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. "I apologize for that."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/authorities-search-more-potential-victims-111615738.html

[ImNotGod]

1. How about his mother who is pictured dancing around a tRump statue in a tRump shirt waving tRump flags?

where is her apology?

[obamanut2012]

2. This is his father apologizing

He deserves grace for this, not questions about his ex.

[proud patriot]

5. agreed

It takes Courage to apologize , especially when your kid kills someone .

[Blues Heron]

3. Imagine raising a psycho killer, they should scrutinize the family, see where they fucked up.

[maxsolomon]

4. "... they're under the same crap that I'm going under, that my wife and I are going under"?

what does that mean? what are they "going under"? does he mean "going through"?

It sounds self-pitying as well.

[hamsterjill]

6. I agree. When I read it, I was wondering.

I give the man credit for trying to make an apology, but when I read his words, it feels like he's saying he and his wife are feeling the same pain that the victim's families are feeling. I guess they are. But to verbalize it that way is disingenuous to me. It sounds like he's trying to equalize the suffering.

Their pain is because of direct action that their son took; the victims' families were just there. To me, there's a difference.

[Prairie Gates]

7. Yeah that didn't sit well with me

Making it about himself, somehow.

[intheflow]

8. Their son is dead, too, that's what they have in common.

This man is volunteering an apology for his son’s heinous actions; he appears sincere. I think he’s brave to have done this.

[maxsolomon]

9. I guess he's doing the best he can.

It is brave to apologize publicly even if its imperfect.