Two people were killed and six others were injured Wednesday night when gunfire erupted outside a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse on North Redwood Road as a funeral was underway, police said. The victims were all adults. Investigators said the attack did not appear to be random or motivated by religious hate.
Authorities said officers were called just after 7:30 p.m. to the meetinghouse at 660 N. Redwood Road, where mourners had gathered for a memorial service. A dispute among attendees spilled into the back parking lot, leading to an exchange of gunfire, according to police. The shooting jolted the Rose Park neighborhood and drew a massive response from city, county and state agencies. Mayor Erin Mendenhall condemned the violence, and Police Chief Brian Redd said detectives were working multiple leads while processing shell casings, vehicles and digital evidence from the scene.
Chief Redd said the people involved knew one another and that evidence pointed to a confrontation that escalated quickly. “This does not appear to be religiously motivated,” Redd said, adding that investigators were reviewing surveillance video and automated license-plate data. Officers and medics found eight adults shot in and around the lot. Two men died at the scene or shortly after. Three of the wounded were listed in critical condition overnight, officials said, as other victims were treated for less severe injuries. Witnesses described a chaotic rush to help, with neighbors using shirts and towels as tourniquets before ambulances arrived.
On Thursday, police identified the men who died as Sione Vatuvei, 38, and Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46. The six wounded were men who had attended the service, according to detectives. By afternoon, one injured person had been released from a hospital, and five remained hospitalized with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators collected multiple firearms and were working to determine how many shooters fired and in what sequence. Officials did not release the number of rounds recovered or the total shots fired. The church’s local leaders expressed sorrow for the families and gratitude to first responders, saying the congregation primarily serves members of Tongan heritage and often conducts services in their native language.
The scene stretched across the back lot and a side street lined with low-rise apartments and small businesses. Residents from a nearby housing complex said they heard rapid pops and then screams. “We were inside watching a show and then it sounded like fireworks, but it wasn’t,” said Ana Latu, who lives across Redwood Road. A mechanic who works two doors down said he saw people ducking behind cars and a white SUV leaving quickly. City officials said roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles converged as triage areas were set up and air support circled overhead. Detectives later towed several vehicles for processing at the police impound.
The meetinghouse sits about four miles west of Temple Square and hosts frequent community gatherings. Funerals for Pacific Islander families often draw large turnouts, neighbors said, sometimes spilling onto the surrounding streets. Police said they have responded to past fights at large events in the area, though nothing on this scale. The shooting came amid ongoing concerns about gun violence at places of worship nationwide and followed a year of elevated security for Latter-day Saint facilities after a separate, unrelated attack in another state. City leaders said they would review whether any additional traffic or crowd-control measures are needed around the church for future large services.
Detectives spent the day mapping bullet paths, canvassing for doorbell footage and interviewing dozens of mourners. No arrests had been announced as of Thursday evening, and police declined to name persons of interest. The department said it is coordinating with county prosecutors on potential charges that could include homicide, aggravated assault and weapons offenses. Autopsies for the two men who died will be conducted by the state medical examiner. Officials said they plan to release additional updates after key interviews and lab tests are completed. Any decision about a public town-hall meeting would come after the initial case review, the mayor’s office said.
Inside the church Thursday morning, workers scrubbed the entryway while a small group prayed quietly on the sidewalk. A cluster of votive candles flickered near the parking-lot entrance. “This was supposed to be a time to honor a life,” Mendenhall said outside police headquarters. “Our city mourns with these families.” By late afternoon, traffic moved again on Redwood Road, though a corner of the lot remained taped off. A neighbor who declined to give his name said the sound of helicopters kept him awake. “It’s devastating,” he said. “People came to say goodbye and ended up running for their lives.”
As of Thursday evening, the investigation remained active, with police saying the next update would come after additional witness interviews and evidence testing. The names of any suspects, if identified, would be released once warrants are issued or arrests are made.
Author note: Last updated January 8, 2026.