2 killed, 6 others injured in shooting at Salt Lake Latter-day Saint church parking lot

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL) — Two people were killed and six were injured in a shooting in Salt Lake City’s Rose Park neighborhood on Wednesday evening when a fight broke out in a church parking lot outside a funeral.

The shooter or shooters remained at large as of the latest update from police at 11 p.m.

“The situation still is very fluid. At this point, we know that there are at least eight victims, I can confirm that two of them have died; three of them are critical condition, and three others (are) in unknown condition,” said Salt Lake police spokesman Glen Mills.

All of the victims are adults, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said late Wednesday.

The shooting happened at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 660 N. Redwood Road about 7:36 p.m. When police and firefighters arrived, the suspect or suspects had fled, Mills said. The suspect vehicle, described only as a gray or silver car, was last seen going north on Redwood Road.

The search perimeter was set up from 500 North to 700 North on Redwood Road extending to the Jordan River.

One person was seen being taken out of the meetinghouse in handcuffs and was loaded into a police vehicle just before 10 p.m. Police later confirmed two people were briefly detained for questioning in the investigation.

Mills said he couldn’t provide information about suspects, and police were trying to figure out the number of suspects. Residents were calling police with “good, solid” leads, Mills said.

Police are still investigating whether the suspect or suspects were attending the funeral.

Some of the gunshot victims were taken by a private vehicle to a hospital and dropped off before police arrived, Mills said.

Redd said police do not believe the shooting was a “targeted attack” against a religion, or that it was random. The police gang unit was also at the scene investigating, he said.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, standing next to Redd, offered “condolences to the families and the victims. This should never have happened; it should never have happened outside a place of worship; it should never have happened at a celebration of life that was happening in the church tonight.”

She said it affects the entire Salt Lake community. She promised that law enforcement will not rest until those responsible are found. “Full stop. No matter where they go. We will find them. They will be brought to justice.”

Redd reiterated that promise.

Redwood Road was expected to remain closed in the area for hours.

‘It’s terrifying’

“The shots were fired outside of the meetinghouse, but you could definitely hear them inside,” said Dom Fiefia, who was attending the funeral with his wife. “It was pretty loud, especially inside; all you could hear was quietness. And with those shots, definitely it kind of shook the whole place up.”

Fiefia and his wife were kept inside the building with as many as 200 other attendees while police set up a perimeter.

Other bystanders at the scene told KSL they were waiting to hear if their family members who had been at the funeral were safe.

Two Tongan Latter-day Saint wards attend that meetinghouse, according to the church’s website.

“We are aware of a serious incident that occurred outside a church meetinghouse at 660 N. Redwood Road in Salt Lake City tonight as a memorial service was being held in the chapel. The church is cooperating with law enforcement and is grateful for the efforts of first responders,” a church spokesman said in a statement late Wednesday.

“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 spokesman said.

Hours after the shooting, a group of people who appeared to be consoling one another stood in a parking lot on the east side of a gate separating the church from a McDonald’s.

A couple who live at a nearby apartment complex, who identified themselves only as Kenna and Brennan, said they heard four to five gunshots, then heard three more shots a bit later.

“He opened the door and heard crying, screaming, wailing, and he said something’s going on at the church over there, we need to go look,” she said of her husband.

“It’s so crazy. I’ve lived here all my life and I knew this area was riddled with crime growing up. For it to happen so close now to where I live and where me and my wife is, it’s terrifying,” Brennan said. “And sad to see that when families all get together for a funeral service that things can still go in that direction.”

Rose Park community reacts

Abigail Merworth, who lives across the street from the church, said she didn’t see what happened but heard about it from her boyfriend. Merworth said the shooting made her feel “unsafe.”

Merworth said she felt a sense of heartbreak and grief in the air.

“Like a zombie feeling; like you feel like in a zombie apocalypse,” she described.

Lakhvir Singh, who also lives in the neighborhood near 600 North and Redwood Road, couldn’t get to his home as police blocked off his street. He said while the shooting happening so close to home is devastating, he wasn’t shocked by it.

“It’s like, when you live in the world where crime and things like this happen on a daily concurrence; (it’s) almost like it’s unfortunate but it’s like, just not overly surprising,” he said.

Lindsey Muster, who also lives in the area, said she learned about what happened on a Rose Park community Facebook page.

Like Merworth, she said the tragic incident is very concerning, especially as a mom of young children and teens.

“It makes me concerned just because I have two kids that I’m raising, and I know (that) not just me, but other parents in the neighborhood would probably all be worried too,” she told KSL. “You know, because it’s a huge impact on not just myself but my kids’ lives.”

The FBI’s Salt Lake field office said on X it was aware of the incident and offered help to Salt Lake police.

The Salt Lake City Council posted on X, “Our hearts are with the Rose Park community following this evening’s tragic shooting. @SLCPD is actively investigating and will share updates as information becomes available. We encourage residents to follow official sources for accurate and timely information.”

Utah Sen. Mike Lee also posted on X, “Join me in praying for the victims of such senseless violence and all the families of this church. Please contact local law enforcement if you have any information about the perpetrators.”

Those with information about the shooting are encouraged to call police dispatch at 801-799-3000.