Eight people fell victim to the Wednesday night shooting outside a Latter-day Saint chapel in Salt Lake City, Utah. Two individuals were killed, while six others were wounded. A police spokesperson informed the media that three of the victims are in critical condition, and the other three are unknown since they were transported to the hospital in private vehicles. 

Authorities have yet to announce if they have made arrests in the case or any additional information on the status of the surviving victims as of Thursday, January 8, 2026. The identities of those wounded in the unforeseen incident are not yet released to the public, but the police have confirmed they were all adults.

Latter-day Saints Shooting

On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, a gunman opened fire on a church of Latter-day Saints around 7:30 p.m. when a fight broke out in the parking lot. Police responded to the Rose Park 5th Ward meetinghouse of the church at 660 N. Redwood Road. Initially, it was a response to an active shooter, requiring many officers to show up. Authorities believe the shooting was not random, but during a memorial service, but they also doubt it was a targeted attack on the faith.  

Later that night, the Salt Lake City Police Department said they had solid leads, and their investigators were on it, checking surveillance video and license plate readers. They closed down the church and its parking lot along with Redwood Road. However, all have since been reopened, and people have been able to retrieve their cars from the crime scene. 

Locating the Suspects

The shooter or shooters remain at large. “The situation still is very fluid. At this point, we know that there are at least eight victims. I can confirm that two of them have died; three of them are in critical condition, and three others are in unknown condition,” said Salt Lake police spokesman Glen Mills.

The suspect or suspects vehicle is described as a gray or silver car, last seen fleeing the parking lot going north on Redwood Road. Authorities searched the perimeter from 500 North to 700 North on Redwood Road to the Jordan River. Police briefly detained two people for questioning, but Mills said he was not able to provide information on the suspects or how many of them there were. They are still investigating whether or not they were attending the funeral service.

Salt Lake’s Community Responds

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said this shooting has affected the entire community and promised the people that reside within that law enforcement will find those responsible. “Full stop. No matter where they go. We will find them. They will be brought to justice,” she said.

She also offered her “condolences to the families and the victims. This should never have happened; it should never have happened outside a place of worship; it should never have happened at a celebration of life that was happening in the church tonight.”

There were around 200 attendees at the funeral, and some spoke to KSL about their experience. “The shots were fired outside of the meetinghouse, but you could definitely hear them inside,” said attendee Dom Fiefia. “It was pretty loud, especially inside; all you could hear was quietness. And with those shots, definitely it kind of shook the whole place up.”

Many people feel unsafe living in the area, imagining that if this could take place in a church parking lot, there is no question where else it could happen. Resident Lindsey Muster heard about the incident through Facebook and said, “It makes me concerned just because I have two kids that I’m raising, and I know (that) not just me, but other parents in the neighborhood would probably all be worried too.”

“You know, because it’s a huge impact on not just myself but my kids’ lives.”

Statement From The Church

The church and the Salt Lake community are in an understandably difficult position. No one ever thinks it will happen to them until it does, and they are never the same. “We are aware of a serious incident that occurred outside a church meetinghouse at 660 N. Redwood Road in Salt Lake City tonight, as a memorial service was being held in the chapel. The church is cooperating with law enforcement and is grateful for the efforts of first responders,” a church spokesman said in a statement Wednesday night.

“We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” they said. 

The Salt Lake City police are requesting that anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to call dispatch at 801-799-3000.