A shooting during a funeral in Kearns on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, left one man dead and two others critically injured, prompting heavy police activity and the temporary implementation of secure protocols at nearby schools. The violence occurred outside a church where the service was being held, an event that follows a prior fatal shooting involving Ofa'tangikivaha Angilau on Aug. 7, 2024.
Shooting Details and Victims
According to Unified Police Assistant Chief Justin Hoyal, the shooting took place at a church located at 5013 S. 4620 West. Officers were already present at the scene around 11:25 a.m. after receiving reports from attendees prior to the service suggesting there could be a problem. Shortly after, officers reported hearing shots ring out on the south side of the church.
Upon investigating the scene, officers discovered a man with critical gunshot wounds who was subsequently pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital, Hoyal said. A second victim was located by police as they observed a group carrying an injured person to a vehicle in the parking lot. Following an attempt by police to stop the vehicle, the group was boxed in by officers in West Valley City at 4700 S. 4000 West.
The second victim was found in critical condition and transported to a local hospital. A third victim was also discovered with a critical gunshot wound and rushed to the hospital, Hoyal added. As of Monday evening, Unified Police stated they were interviewing persons of interest and believed all individuals involved in the shooting had been identified.
Impact on Local Schools
The incident caused significant disruption to local education and healthcare facilities. Police activity forced Kearns Jr. High, West Kearns Elementary, and Gourley Elementary into a secure protocol. The Granite School District confirmed on its website at 11:51 a.m. that the protocol was initiated by law enforcement as a precaution. During the secure status, which lasted just under an hour, school operations continued normally while exterior doors were locked to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the buildings.
The shooting occurred less than a week after the start of the 2026-27 school year. Local resident Rick Warner, who lives near the scene, described the atmosphere following the gunshots as "chaos," noting that it was the worst incident he had witnessed in the neighborhood during his 14 years of residence.
Medical Center Closure
Intermountain Medical Center in Murray also faced temporary restrictions. Jess Gomez with Intermountain Healthcare stated the facility was placed on restricted access as a precautionary measure. While Gomez emphasized that there was no danger to patients or caregivers on campus, the hospital was closed to the public, resulting in the cancellation or rescheduling of appointments and the diversion of ambulances to other facilities. Hoyal later clarified that the victims were sent to Intermountain Medical Center for treatment, which prompted the precautionary closure.
Ongoing Investigation
Detectives continue to work on gathering information from witnesses at the scene and victims at the hospital. Unified Police indicated that the shooting appeared to be an isolated event that took place outside the church building. Both the Kearns crime scene and the West Valley City location where the second victim was found were expected to remain closed to the public for several hours to facilitate the investigation.
