(Salt Lake City) Two people were killed and six others were injured in a shooting outside a Salt Lake City church Wednesday evening as worshipers attended a memorial service inside.
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The shooting took place in the parking lot of a house of worship for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Utah-based religious denomination widely known as the Mormon Church.
Authorities said no suspects had been arrested Wednesday.
All the victims were adults. At least three of the injured were in critical condition, police said.
Police said they do not believe the shooter had any particular animosity toward any particular religion. She also doesn’t think the shooting was random.
“We don’t believe this is a targeted attack on religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.
When they heard the gunshots, residents of a public housing complex next to the church rushed outside to help the victims and comfort dozens of people attending a funeral.
Around a hundred law enforcement vehicles rushed to the scene, while helicopters flew over the area.
Police will review license plate readers and surveillance video from nearby businesses to find the suspect.
The church, headquartered in Salt Lake City, is cooperating with law enforcement and said it was grateful for the quick response of first responders.
About half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of this faith. Places of worship like the one where the shooting took place are scattered throughout neighborhoods across the city and state.
The religious community has been on alert since four people were killed last month when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church and set it alight. The FBI concluded he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs.”
