A shooting that took place outside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Salt Lake City, Utah, during a memorial service on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, resulted in two fatalities and six injuries.
The deceased victims were identified as Sione Vatuvei, 38, and Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46, who lost their lives after gunfire erupted in the parking lot of the Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse, located at 660 N. Redwood Road, about 4 miles west of Temple Square. All eight victims were adults.
Of the six injured, three were critically wounded while the others were taken to hospitals in personal vehicles with their conditions initially unknown. By Thursday, one victim had been discharged from the hospital, as per police updates.
The incident began when a dispute started during the memorial service, attended by around 200 people. Police were alerted to the situation around 7:30 p.m. However, when law enforcement and firefighters reached the Rose Park neighborhood location, the alleged shooter or shooters had already fled.
Police Chief Brian Redd emphasized that the incident did not appear to be a religiously targeted attack, nor a random act of violence. Indications of potential gang involvement prompted the deployment of the department’s gang unit.
During the investigation, two individuals were briefly detained for questioning, although neither was considered a suspect by late Wednesday. The police department had not announced any arrests at that time.
Some victims were not fully cooperative during the investigation, making it challenging for the police to reconstruct the sequence of events. Detectives continued their efforts to interview hospitalized victims and identify all participants in the incident and their potential involvement.
The Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse, known for occasional crime in the neighborhood, also serves as a gathering place for the Riverside 2nd Ward. Both are Tongan wards, as per church records.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City addressed the incident during a news conference on Wednesday night, expressing distress over the act of violence taking place in a worship space. “This should never have happened at a place of worship,” stated Mendenhall, vowing that law enforcement would seek those responsible.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement late Wednesday confirming that the shooting took place outside the building during a memorial service. Church spokesperson Sam Penrod expressed gratitude for first responders and offered prayers for all affected by the tragedy, voicing deep concern over any violence occurring in a sacred space of worship.
By Thursday morning, Redd provided an update confirming the identities of the deceased and reasserting that the shooting did not seem to be an attack targeted at the Latter-day Saint faith. He also reassured that there was no apparent threat to the general public.
This incident has deeply impacted Salt Lake City’s Pacific Islander community, which maintains strong ties to the two congregations at the Rose Park meetinghouse. The memorial service interrupted by the violent act had attracted members from the local Tongan community.
Police worked overnight interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence from the shooting site. They also appealed to the public for any information related to the incident.
The tragic event unfolded during what was meant to be a solemn occasion to remember a deceased community member. The memorial service was disrupted by gunfire outside the church, causing panic among the attendees who sought safety inside the building.
A search perimeter was set up by the police extending from 500 North to 700 North on Redwood Road, reaching the Jordan River. Officers searched the area for witnesses, evidence, and any leads that could help in locating the suspects who escaped.
As the investigation progressed on Thursday, the police were looking into whether the suspects had been attending the funeral or memorial service, or if they had come to the meetinghouse parking lot with the specific intent of confrontation. The exact circumstances leading to the dispute and subsequent shooting remained under investigation.
This tragic event has hit a community already dealing with concerns about violence, especially in areas where gang activity has been an ongoing issue. The involvement of the police gang unit in the investigation underscored the complexity of the case and the possible links between the shooting and current gang disputes in the area.