1 killed, 2 injured in Kearns church funeral shooting

By: Jeff Tavss

Originally Posted 12:12 PM, Aug 17, 2026

KEARNS, Utah (K— One person was killed and two others injured following a shooting at a funeral in the vicinity of a Kearns church on Monday.

Officers were already on the scene ahead of the funeral when they heard gunshots at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stake center at 5015 South 4620 West. One victim was found in the road outside the church and taken to the hospital, where they later died.

Another victim was seen being placed in a vehicle that fled the area, which prompted a police pursuit that ended after officers boxed in the vehicle near the intersection of 4700 South and 4000 West in West Valley City.

A third victim was found at the church and transported to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical condition, along with the second victim.

While the Unified Police Department did not confirm the information, a flyer shared that the funeral was for Ofa'tangikivaha Angilau, the 23-year-old man killed in a shooting at a Riverton gas station on Aug. 7.

Unified Police said they had received multiple calls before the funeral indicating there could be a "problem," which prompted law enforcement presence at the stake center.

Hours after the shooting, several police vehicles were seen lining the road outside Valley View Memorial Park where Angilau was to be buried.

Because of the incident, Intermountain Medical Center closed its campus and canceled all appointments on Monday as a precautionary measure. A hospital spokesperson reassured the public that all patients and workers are safe and under no threat.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Kearns Junior High School, West Kearns Elementary, and David Gourley Elementary were placed under secure protocols out of an abundance of caution due to the incident.

The protocols were all lifted just before 12:30 p.m.

Under secure protocols, all doors are locked, and no one is allowed in or out of the building, although schools are proceeding as normal inside. Parents are advised not to come to the school.