\n Kris Johns, a Burton city council candidate near Michigan\u2019s Grand Blanc Township, was going door to door on his campaign trail when he met Thomas Jacob Sanford \u2014 nearly a week before Sanford carried out a deadly attack on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel.\n <\/p>\n
\n After parking on the side of the road \u2014 something he had done thousands of times on the campaign trail \u2014 Johns was approached by a very \u201cjovial\u201d and \u201cpositive\u201d Sanford, who asked if he was having car trouble.\n <\/p>\n
\n The conversation began as general chit-chat, with both men sharing information about their backgrounds. Johns said he didn\u2019t notice any red flags from Sanford.\n <\/p>\n
\n Then the conversation shifted. \u201cWhat are your thoughts on guns?\u201d Sanford \u2014 the US Marine and Iraq War veteran \u2014 asked Johns, the Burton candidate recalled to CNN\u2019s Leigh Waldman. Johns said he responded, \u201cI support the Second Amendment,\u201d and that was the end of the discussion.\n <\/p>\n
\n Taking a sharp turn, Sanford then asked, \u201cWhat are your thoughts on Mormons?\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cAny answer I provided that was positive was not going to be satisfactory,\u201d Johns recalled to CNN, saying Sanford\u2019s questions became \u201cincreasingly pointed,\u201d turning 15 of the 20-minute conversation into talks about religion. Johns speculated that Sanford had a \u201clong-standing anger\u201d toward the LDS church.\n <\/p>\n
\n After the conversation, Johns left a voicemail for a friend in the LDS Church, flagging his interaction with Sanford and noting that knocking on doors can lead to encounters with people who have \u201cvery unique ideas.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n After Johns heard about the attack at the LDS church, he said, \u201cNothing made me think of making that connection to this gentleman last week\u201d until photos were shared Sunday afternoon. That\u2019s when he reached out to investigators.\n <\/p>\n