Friends of the man accused of killing four people after opening fire in a Michigan church say he long harbored animosity toward the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but never made any threats against its members.

Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton, Michigan, was a former U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran. His Sept. 28 ambush on the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in Grand Blanc Township left four people dead and eight wounded. He died in an exchange of gunfire with police.

Police have not named any of the victims of the attack, but several have been identified through GoFundMe pages created in the aftermath of the incident.

U.S. officials and state lawmakers are sharing messages in response to Sunday morning's fatal shooting during a worship service at a church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Police said at least four people are dead and eight others were hurt after a suspect drove his vehicle through the front doors of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and fired "several rounds" at hundreds of people.