Manhunt underway after 2 killed, 6 injured outside Latter-day Saint funeral in Salt Lake City

Two people are dead, and six others were injured in a mass shooting that targeted a funeral at a meetinghouse for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah on Wednesday. Police have said they do not believe it is a targeted attack against the religion. Police are searching for the suspect or suspects still at large. 

Three people out of the six who were injured are in critical condition, per authorities. "The situation still is very fluid. At this point, we know that there are at least eight victims, I can confirm that two of them have died; three of them are in critical condition, and three others (are) in unknown condition," Salt Lake City spokesman Glen Mills said.

All of the victims in the shooting are adults, and the shooter or shooters are still at large. Some sourced information from the scene of the shooting has suggested that the incident may be gang-related, but authorities have said it is too early to tell. Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd, said, when asked about the gang involvement, "It's probably too early to say it's gang-related, but yes, our gang detectives are here and we are definitely looking at that angle."

The shooting took place at a meetinghouse for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 660 N. Redwood Road at around 7:36 pm on Wednesday evening during a funeral. By the time that police and other first responders arrived, the suspect or suspects had fled the scene. The vehicle the shooter or shooters fled in was described as gray or silver.

According to KSL, one person was taken out of the meetinghouse in handcuffs after the incident took place. The police said they were tracking down a number of leads on the suspects. Salt Lake City is home to multiple gangs, including the Tongan Crip Gang.

Photos and video inside the funeral viewing showed Tongan men wearing blue bandanas, a common sign for the Tongan Crip Gang inside the area of Salt Lake City, Utah.

There were around 200 attendees in the meetinghouse as police set up a perimeter. Two Tongan Latter-day Saint congregations attend church at the meetinghouse where the funeral was taking place. This shooting comes after Thomas Jacob Sanford shot and killed a number of Latter-day Saints in a shooting in Grand Blanc, Michigan in September, targeting the members of the faith. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement in response to the shooting, "We are aware of a serious incident that occurred outside a Church meetinghouse at 660 North Redwood Road in Salt Lake City tonight as a memorial service was being held in the chapel."

"The Church is cooperating with law enforcement and is grateful for the efforts of first responders. Until more information is available, all questions about this incident are being directed to the Salt Lake City Police Department. 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," the statement added.

Dom Fiefia, who was attending the funeral, told reporters, "The shots were fired outside of the meetinghouse, but you could definitely hear them inside. It was pretty loud, especially inside; all you could hear was quietness. And with those shots, definitely it kind of shook the whole place up."