A shooting outside a Salt Lake City church left two people dead and six others injured Wednesday night as mourners gathered for a funeral service, authorities said.
The gunfire erupted around 7:36 p.m. in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 660 North Redwood Road, where family and friends were attending a memorial service for Asi Sekona. According to police, an altercation occurred in the parking lot while the service was taking place inside the church, and shots were fired during that confrontation.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire during the funeral. Salt Lake City Police said eight adults were injured in total. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others were transported to area hospitals in critical condition, while the remaining victims were taken to hospitals by private vehicles. Their identities have not yet been released.
Salt Lake City Police spokesman Glen Mills said investigators believe the shooting was targeted, but authorities do not believe it was motivated by religion or directed at the church itself.
“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion,” Police Chief Brian Redd said, adding that investigators also do not believe the shooting was random.
The suspect or suspects fled the area northbound on Redwood Road before officers arrived. As of late Wednesday night, no arrests had been made, and an active search was underway. Redwood Road was closed for several hours as officers processed the scene and collected evidence, with the closure expected to last into the early morning.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the metro gang unit, are assisting with the investigation. Police said a suspect vehicle has been identified, but no one was in custody as of 11 p.m. Wednesday. The next official update was expected on Thursday morning.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming it occurred outside the meetinghouse while a memorial service was underway. Church leaders said they are cooperating fully with law enforcement, expressed gratitude to first responders, and offered prayers for those impacted, calling the violence deeply troubling in a space intended for worship and reflection.
Following the shooting, Sekona’s body was moved from the building to continue funeral arrangements, with services scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday. Sekona was remembered by loved ones as a devoted husband to Naioka Tilini Sekona.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information related to the incident to contact Salt Lake City Police. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected to be released as they become available.
