5 dead, 1 injured in shooting in Utah

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (KSL.com) – Five family members, including three children, were found dead in a West Valley City home Tuesday in what police are calling a homicide.

According to West Valley police spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku, the bodies were found Tuesday afternoon at a home in the 3700 block of Oxford Way.

A family member who had contact with a woman who lived at the home called police after being unable to reach the woman for several days. Police attempted to contact the woman at the home Monday evening, but no one responded. At the time, officers found no evidence indicating an emergency or crime, Vainuku said.

The woman didn’t show up for work Tuesday, so the family member entered the home through the garage, where she found an injured 17-year-old boy. She contacted police around 2:10 p.m. on Tuesday, who arrived to find the boy in the garage with a gunshot wound.

The teenager was taken to a hospital with significant injuries, Vainuku said.

Inside the house, officers found the bodies of a 42-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman, an 11-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl. Police said the five people in the home and the boy in the garage were all from the same family and lived in that home.

Vainuku said it is uncertain at this point whether the teen in the hospital is a suspect or a victim. Officers obtained a search warrant and are now investigating the home to find out what happened, police said.

Police believe this was an isolated incident at the home and that no suspects are at large.

Neighbors said it happened on a quiet street and the family kept to themselves. The family who lives next door said they began to worry when the dog hadn’t been fed for a few days.

“It’s just a total shock. I can’t believe this happened,” said Michael Webster. He said nothing like this had ever happened on his street.

Tristan Williams said he never imagined a crime this serious would happen so close to home.

“You don’t really realize how real the world can be until you’re close to home,” he said.

Contributor: Debbie Worthen