> At a Glance
> – Two adults killed, six injured in a Wednesday-night shooting outside a Salt Lake City church
> – Attack struck a Tongan-congregation parking lot during an indoor memorial service
> – No suspect in custody; police say the violence was not random but not faith-targeted
> – Why it matters: A place of worship-normally a refuge-became a crime scene, rattling residents and prompting a massive law-enforcement response
Gunshots shattered a solemn evening of remembrance outside a red-brick Latter-day Saints chapel in northwest Salt Lake City, leaving two people dead and six others wounded-at least three in critical condition.
The Scene
Witnesses inside the Tongan-language congregation heard several loud pops around 8 p.m. while a memorial service proceeded indoors. Moments later, the back parking lot was strewn with shell casings and victims.
Neighbor Brennan McIntire recounted:
> “As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground. People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”
His wife, Kenna McIntire, watched first responders lift an unconscious woman into an ambulance:
> “It was really heartbreaking to hear and see.”
Investigation
Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said detectives do not believe the shooter acted out of religious animus:
> “We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that.”
Officers are:
- Reviewing license-plate readers
- Combing through surrounding business surveillance
- Processing evidence from the parking-lot crime scene
Authorities have not identified a suspect and urge anyone with footage to come forward.
Community Reaction
Roughly 100 police vehicles, ambulances, and news helicopters converged on the normally quiet neighborhood. Residents of an adjacent low-income complex-accustomed to near-daily gunfire-rushed outside with blankets and water, forming impromptu prayer circles near a taco truck that had been serving mourners.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall condemned the bloodshed:
> “This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life.”
Church spokesperson Sam Penrod echoed her sentiment:
> “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.”
Key Takeaways
- Victims were all adults; three remain in critical condition
- The chapel primarily serves Tongan Latter-day Saints holding services in their native language
- The Utah-based faith-counting about 1.75 million state residents-had already heightened security after a fatal Michigan church attack last month
- Police vow additional patrols near houses of worship while the manhunt continues
As crime-scene tape came down overnight, neighbors swept shattered glass from the sidewalk, grappling with violence that struck steps from their front doors and seconds from their prayers.
