Three people, including an 8-month-old infant and a 41-year-old woman, were killed Sunday night after a teenage suspect allegedly opened fire during a dispute between two groups at WestFest, an annual carnival in suburban Salt Lake City, police said.
The shooting occurred around 9:20 p.m. at Centennial Park, according to West Valley City Police. Officers working at the event observed two groups involved in "some sort of a verbal altercation," said department spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku.
"As they approached to break up the altercation, a 16-year-old male from one of the groups pulled out a gun and fired," the department posted on X. One officer fired back but did not hit anyone.
Five people were shot, including the infant and the 41-year-old woman, who were not involved in the fight, police said. Both were transported to a hospital and later died. An 18-year-old man believed to be part of the altercation died at the scene.
Two other teens-a 17-year-old female and a 15-year-old male-were shot in the arms. Their connection to the involved groups remains unclear. A pregnant woman was also injured while attempting to climb a fence during the chaos, Vainuku said.
The 16-year-old suspect was taken into custody quickly. His name has not been released. Authorities have not confirmed whether the shooting was gang-related.
Festivalgoer Omar Ortiz told KSL-TV he heard gunshots and feared for his girlfriend and daughter, who had separated from him moments earlier. He described the scene as terrifying as people ran in every direction.
The incident prompted a large law enforcement response from multiple agencies to assist with crowd dispersal and witness management. Detectives are continuing to interview those present and are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting to contact the police department at 801-840-4000.
The shooting marks Utah's second fatal public event shooting in two days. On Saturday, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was killed during a "No Kings" protest in Salt Lake City. He was also a bystander.
