Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday that there is “no further threat to the public” after two people were killed and six more were injured in a shooting outside a chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
The Wednesday night shooting took place while a memorial service was being held inside the church. Police have described the shooting as nonrandom but not a targeted attack on a faith. They had not announced any arrests as of midday Thursday, though Cox said at a news conference Thursday that law enforcement was “able to at least find the people who were involved.”
“Anytime there’s a loss of life it’s tragic,” the governor said. “Our thoughts go out to the families. Terrible thing that happened there.”
After the shooting, members of Utah’s congressional delegation and other elected officials in the state expressed dismay.
“Violence like this is unacceptable and cannot be normalized,” U.S. Sen. John Curtis said in a statement. “Two lives were stolen, families were shattered, and a community was shaken.”
Curtis went on to say that Utah “is a place where we believe in responsibility — personal and collective,” and encouraged Utahns to “stand united in condemning violence, supporting victims, and reaffirming our commitment to safe communities rooted in respect for life and the rule of law.
“We look out for our neighbors, we reject senseless violence,” the senator added, “and we refuse to accept fear as a way of life.”
Other members of the state’s all-GOP congressional delegation shared similar sentiments.
Rep. Celeste Maloy of the 2nd Congressional District, in which the meetinghouse is located, said in a statement that she was “deeply saddened” by the news and noted that the shooting took place at a building where two Tongan wards, or congregations, worship.
“Violence has no place in our communities, especially in a house of worship,” she said. “I am praying for the victims and their families, and holding the Tongan community and residents of Rose Park in my thoughts during this painful time.”
“I was devastated to see this news last night. There is no way to make sense of it,” 1st District Rep. Blake Moore said in a statement. “I pray that people maintain faith that their place of worship can bring peace and sanctuary. [My wife] Jane and I are heartbroken for the victims, their families, and the entire community.”
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for 3rd District Rep. Mike Kennedy shared a post from the congressman on social media.
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the members of the Rose Park community affected by this act of horrific violence,” he wrote. “A place of worship should always serve as a sanctuary of peace, safety, and refuge for everyone.”
Fourth District Rep. Burgess Owens and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee did not respond to requests for comment on the shooting, though Lee addressed the event on social media.
“Join me in praying for the victims of such senseless violence and all the families of this church,” he wrote on his official X account late Wednesday night. “Please contact local law enforcement if you have any information about the perpetrators.”
On his personal account, Lee added, “Someone killed innocent people. At a church. During a funeral. There are no words.”
Late Wednesday at a news conference near the scene of the shooting Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the shooting “should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened at a celebration of life.”
Investigators, she added, “are not going to rest until the individuals responsible are brought to justice. Full stop. No matter where they go, we will find them.”
And in a statement Thursday morning, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson expressed gratitude for the law enforcement agencies that responded and said she was “deeply saddened” by the shooting.
“My heart aches for the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I’m keeping those who were injured in my thoughts, hoping for their full recovery,” the statement read. “Working together, we will continue to strive for a safer community for everyone.”