Two people were killed and six others wounded late Wednesday when gunfire erupted outside a church belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City as mourners gathered inside for a memorial service, authorities said, in an attack that has shaken a neighborhood accustomed to quiet religious gatherings.
Police said the shooting occurred in the rear parking lot of the red-brick church in northwest Salt Lake City, where a funeral service was being held. All of the victims were adults. At least three of those injured were listed in critical condition, while the medical status of the remaining victims was not immediately known.
The Associated Press stated that officers had not taken any suspects into custody by Wednesday night, and investigators were continuing to search for those responsible. Police said they did not believe the attack was motivated by religious hatred and stressed that the shooting did not appear to be random.
“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said during a briefing, adding that investigators believe the violence stemmed from an altercation outside the church rather than any animus toward the faith.
Reuters also reported that authorities described the situation as fluid in the hours after the shooting. Police spokesperson Glen Mills told reporters that some type of dispute unfolded in the parking lot, leading to shots being fired, while dozens of people were attending a memorial service inside the chapel.
Among at least eight adult victims, two later died from their injuries, police said. Three survivors were in critical condition, while others were being treated for gunshot wounds. Law enforcement agencies launched an extensive manhunt and began interviewing witnesses who had attended the funeral. The FBI said it was assisting local authorities.
The church, which primarily serves Tongan congregants and holds worship services in their native language, sits beside a low-income housing complex. Residents there rushed outside after hearing the gunfire, helping victims and comforting mourners who poured out of the building in shock.
Brennan McIntire, who lives in an apartment next to the church parking lot, said he and his wife were watching television when they heard several loud gunshots. He ran outside wearing flip-flops and immediately encountered chaos.
“As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground,” McIntire said. “People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”
His wife, Kenna McIntire, followed moments later and said she was shaken by the sight of first responders lifting an unconscious woman into an ambulance as people nearby sobbed.
The couple said gunfire is not uncommon in their neighborhood, but never so close to home or in such a devastating context. “It was really heartbreaking to hear and see,” Kenna McIntire said.
In the aftermath, roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles converged on the area, while helicopters circled overhead. Neighbors wrapped in blankets gathered near a taco truck, watching officers secure the scene and waiting anxiously for updates.
Police said they were reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and analyzing license plate reader data in an effort to track down the shooter or shooters. Authorities urged anyone with information to come forward.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall condemned the violence, emphasizing the emotional weight of the attack occurring during a memorial service. “This should never have happened outside a place of worship,” she said. “This should never have happened outside a celebration of life.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with law enforcement and expressed sorrow over the violence. “We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” the church said.
Church spokesperson Sam Penrod echoed that message, saying the institution was grateful for the swift response of first responders and deeply troubled by the loss of life.
The shooting comes at a time of heightened concern for houses of worship nationwide. Reuters noted that the LDS Church has been on increased alert since a deadly attack last month in Michigan, where a former Marine killed four people at a church and set the building ablaze. The FBI later determined that the suspect in that case was motivated by anti-religious beliefs against Latter-day Saints.
Utah, where the church is headquartered, is home to about half of the state’s 3.5 million residents who identify as members of the faith. LDS meetinghouses are common fixtures in neighborhoods across Salt Lake City and throughout the state, often serving as community hubs for worship, funerals, weddings and social gatherings.
While police have said there is no indication the Salt Lake City shooting was ideologically motivated, the attack has reignited broader concerns about gun violence spilling into spaces traditionally viewed as safe and sacred. Experts say the setting of the shooting underscores how personal disputes can escalate rapidly in environments where large numbers of people are present, with devastating consequences.
The presence of mourners at the church added an additional layer of trauma, compounding grief with fear and confusion. Community leaders said counseling and support services would be made available to those affected.
Investigators cautioned that details could change as the inquiry continues, and urged patience as they work to reconstruct the sequence of events. For now, the neighborhood remains on edge, grappling with the reality that a gathering meant to honor a life lost became the scene of another tragedy.
Authorities said updates would be released as more information becomes available, while city leaders called for unity and calm as the investigation moves forward.
Reuters/AP
