On Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, a shooting outside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse in Salt Lake City, Utah, resulted in the death of two people and the injury of six others. The incident took place as a memorial service was in progress inside the building.
The deceased were identified as Sione Vatuvei, 38, and Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46, who lost their lives following a gunfire exchange in the parking lot of the Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse located at 660 N. Redwood Road. The shooting, which involved only adults, took place roughly 4 miles west of Temple Square outside the meetinghouse.
Of the six injured, three remained in critical condition while the other three were transported to hospitals in private vehicles, their conditions initially uncertain. One victim was discharged from the hospital by Thursday.
The incident started when a dispute erupted in the parking lot during the memorial service, which was attended by around 200 people. The police received calls about the incident around 7:30 p.m. By the time officers and firefighters arrived at the Rose Park neighborhood scene, the suspect or suspects had already left the scene.
According to Police Chief Brian Redd, the investigators didn’t believe the shooting was a targeted attack on religion or a random act of violence. The department’s gang unit was called in to investigate, as there were indications of potential gang involvement among individuals present at the scene.
During the investigation, two people were briefly taken in for questioning, but neither was considered a suspect as of late Wednesday. No arrests were made by the police department. Investigators were examining surveillance footage from nearby businesses and license plate reader data in their search for the suspects.
Some victims proved uncooperative with the police during the investigation, which complicated efforts to reconstruct the sequence of events. Detectives continued their efforts to interview hospitalized victims and identify all individuals involved in the incident and their roles.
The meetinghouse of Rose Park 5th Ward, located in a neighborhood known for occasional crime, also serves as a gathering place for the Riverside 2nd Ward. According to church records, both Tongan wards congregate at the meetinghouse.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed deep concern about the occurrence of violence at a place of worship during a news conference on Wednesday night.
A statement was released late Wednesday by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledging the serious incident. Church spokesman Sam Penrod confirmed that a memorial service was ongoing in the chapel when the shooting took place outside the building.
The church confirmed its cooperation with law enforcement and expressed gratitude for the first responders. Penrod offered prayers for those affected by the tragedy and expressed deep concern over the occurrence of violence at a sacred space intended for worship.
By Thursday morning, Redd provided an update on the investigation and confirmed the identities of the two deceased victims. He also stated that authorities did not believe there was a threat to the general public.
The incident marked a 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 police established a search perimeter extending from 500 North to 700 North on Redwood Road, reaching to the Jordan River. Officers combed the area for witnesses, evidence, and information that might lead to the suspects who fled the scene.
As the investigation progressed into Thursday, police were trying to determine whether the suspects had been attending the funeral or memorial service, or if they had arrived at the meetinghouse parking lot specifically to confront individuals at the gathering. The exact circumstances leading to the dispute and subsequent shooting were still under investigation.
This tragedy struck a community already dealing with concerns about violence, especially in areas where gang activity is a persistent issue. The involvement of the police gang unit in the investigation underscored the complexity of the case and the potential links between the shooting and ongoing gang-related conflicts in the area.