Topline
The bodies of eight family members, including five children, who were fatally shot in their home in Enoch, Utah, were found by police on Wednesday evening, law enforcement officials said without further details about the circumstances of the tragedy.
REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: The victims’ bodies were found by police officers who were carrying out a … [+]
Key Facts
The victims’ bodies were found by police officers who were carrying out a welfare check at their home in the rural Utah town.
The police did not provide any details about the victims aside from the fact that they all belonged to one family and did not say why a welfare check was carried out on their home.
Speaking to the press, Enoch City Manager Rob Dotson said officials were still “gathering mountains of information” about the deaths, adding it could take “a day or two, or maybe longer” to understand what exactly happened.
Local officials also said they did not believe there was any immediate threat to the public or if any suspects were at-large.
Crucial Quote
Utah Governor Spencer Cox tweeted: “Our hearts go out to all those affected by this senseless violence. Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers.”
Tangent
Iron County School District in Cedar City, Utah, issued a statement saying the five children were students at the school. The statement added that a Crisis Intervention Team was in place to help students, parents, and school staffers deal with the tragedy.
Big Number
13.6. That is the number of gun deaths per 100,000 people that Utah recorded in 2020, according to data published by the CDC. Under this metric, Utah ranks 30th among all states, jointly with South Dakota.
Further Reading
Family of 8, Including 5 Children, Found Shot to Death in Utah Home, Police Say (New York Times)
8 found fatally shot in Utah home, including 5 children (Associated Press)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/01/05/police-find-8-people-including-5-children-shot-to-death-in-utah-home/