Two people were killed and six others wounded in a shooting outside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, as a memorial service was underway inside the building.
The victims, identified as Sione Vatuvei, 38, and Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46, died following an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot of the Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse at 660 N. Redwood Road. All eight victims were adults, and the shooting occurred outside the building about 4 miles west of Temple Square.
Three of the six wounded individuals remained in critical condition, while three others were transported to hospitals in private vehicles with conditions initially unknown. One victim had been released from the hospital by Thursday, according to police updates.
The violence erupted when a fight broke out during the memorial service, which was attended by approximately 200 people. Police received calls about the incident around 7:30 p.m. When officers and firefighters arrived at the scene in the Rose Park neighborhood, the suspect or suspects had already fled.
Police Chief Brian Redd emphasized that investigators did not believe the shooting was a targeted attack against religion, nor did they believe it was random. The department’s gang unit was deployed to investigate, with indications pointing to possible gang activity among individuals at the scene.
Two people were briefly detained for questioning in the investigation, though neither was considered a suspect as of late Wednesday. No arrests had been announced by the police department.
Some victims proved less than cooperative with police during the investigation, complicating efforts to piece together the sequence of events. Detectives continued working to interview hospitalized victims and identify all individuals involved in the incident and their roles.
The Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse, located in a neighborhood known to local residents for occasional crime, also serves as a gathering place for the Riverside 2nd Ward. Both Tongan wards worship at the meetinghouse, according to church records.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall addressed the tragedy during a news conference Wednesday night, expressing deep concern about violence occurring at a place of worship. “This should never have happened at a place of worship,” Mendenhall said, promising that law enforcement would pursue those responsible.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement late Wednesday acknowledging the serious incident. Church spokesman Sam Penrod confirmed that a memorial service was being held in the chapel when the shooting occurred outside the building.
The church stated it was cooperating with law enforcement and expressed gratitude for first responders. Penrod extended prayers for all impacted by the tragedy and expressed deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind.
By Thursday morning, Redd provided an update on the investigation, confirming the identities of the two deceased victims and reiterating that the shooting did not appear to be a targeted attack on the Latter-day Saint faith. He also stated that authorities did not believe there was a threat to the general public.
The incident marked a particularly tragic event for Salt Lake City’s Pacific Islander community, which has strong ties to both congregations that worship at the Rose Park meetinghouse. The memorial service that was interrupted by violence had drawn members from throughout the local Tongan community.
Police investigators worked through the night interviewing witnesses and processing evidence from the parking lot where the shooting occurred. The department issued a public plea for anyone with information about the incident to come forward and contact authorities.
The violence unfolded in what should have been a solemn gathering to remember a deceased community member. Instead, the memorial service turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy as gunfire erupted outside the church building, sending attendees scrambling for safety inside the meetinghouse.
The search perimeter established by police extended from 500 North to 700 North on Redwood Road, reaching to the Jordan River. Officers canvassed the area looking for witnesses, evidence and any information that might lead to the suspects who fled the scene.
As the investigation continued into Thursday, police were working to determine whether the suspects had been attending the funeral or memorial service, or whether they had come to the meetinghouse parking lot specifically to confront individuals at the gathering. The exact circumstances that led to the fight and subsequent shooting remained under investigation.
The tragedy struck a community already grappling with concerns about violence, particularly in areas where gang activity has been a persistent challenge. The involvement of the police gang unit in the investigation highlighted the complexity of the case and the potential connections between the shooting and ongoing gang-related conflicts in the area.
