• Two people were killed, and at least six others injured in a church parking lot shooting.
• The shooting occurred during a funeral service at a Mormon church in Salt Lake City.
• Authorities do not believe it was a targeted attack on the church or a random act of violence.
• A manhunt is underway for the suspect(s) involved, with the FBI offering assistance.
• Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed that violence should never occur outside a place of worship.

On January 7, 2026, a shooting outside a Mormon church in Salt Lake City resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to six others. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a funeral service was taking place inside, according to Reuters and CBS News.

Police reported that approximately three of the six injured victims were in critical condition, while all the victims involved were adults. As the search for suspect(s) continues, law enforcement is reviewing surveillance footage and license plate readers from nearby businesses, as stated by Los Angeles Times and Al Jazeera.

Officials, including Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd, indicated that the shooting did not appear to be targeted against the church or religion, nor was it considered a random act of violence. “We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Redd stated, as mentioned in reports from NPR and India Times.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as residents from a nearby housing complex rushed to assist the victims. Mayor Erin Mendenhall condemned the violence, stating, “This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” as reported by Reuters and CBS News.