SALT LAKE CITY — A shooting outside a church building in Salt Lake City killed two people and injured six others Wednesday, police said.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.
Dozens of people were attending a funeral inside at the time. All the victims were adults.
Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith.
“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.
Police also do not believe the shooting was random. Authorities said no suspect was in custody.
Brennan McIntire said he and his wife, Kenna, heard the gunshots from their apartment next to the parking lot while watching TV. He jumped off the couch and ran outside to check on things.
“As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground,” McIntire said. “People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”
About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead.
“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.
The church was cooperating with law enforcement and was grateful for first responders’ efforts, a spokesperson said.
“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,” Sam Penrod said in a statement.
The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and about half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Churches like the one where the shooting occurred can be found in towns throughout the city and state.
The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze. The FBI found that he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the church.
Schoenbaum writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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