Police in the United States have launched a major manhunt following a fatal shooting outside a Mormon church in Salt Lake City, Utah. The incident, which occurred in a church car park, has left at least two people dead and several others wounded.
Chaos at a Place of Worship
The violent episode unfolded on Wednesday outside a meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dozens of people were inside the building attending a funeral service when the shooting erupted in the parking lot. Authorities confirmed that all of the victims were adults.
Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd provided details on the casualties, stating that among a minimum of eight adult victims, two succumbed to their injuries. Three of the survivors were reported to be in a critical condition, with the status of the others remaining unclear at the time.
Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
The police response was swift and substantial, with approximately 100 law enforcement vehicles converging on the scene and helicopters deployed overhead. Despite the scale of the operation, authorities confirmed that no suspect was in custody immediately following the attack.
Chief Redd moved to address potential motives, emphasising that early indications suggest the shooting was not a hate crime targeting a specific faith. "We don't believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that," he stated. However, he was clear that the incident was also not considered a random act of violence.
A Community in Mourning
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community and the wider church. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed profound dismay, declaring, "This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life."
In an official statement, church spokesperson Sam Penrod conveyed the institution's grief and cooperation with law enforcement. "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," Penrod said.
The shooting has placed the faith community on heightened alert, coming just a month after a separate attack on a Michigan church where four people were killed. The FBI determined that gunman was driven by anti-religious beliefs against the church.
With its global headquarters in Salt Lake City, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a central part of life in Utah, where around half of the state's 3.5 million residents are members. Meetinghouses like the one attacked are commonplace throughout the region.
