JCPA Horrified by Attack on LDS Church in Salt Lake City

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is horrified by last night’s shooting at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathering in Salt Lake City, where members were assembled to mourn a loved one. According to reports, two people were killed and six others were injured.

Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, shared the following statement:

“We stand in solidarity with Salt Lake City’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and with the entire Tongan LDS community mourning this horrific violence. Two lives were taken and six others injured as families gathered to honor a loved one — a sacred moment of grief now turned into unimaginable trauma.

This attack echoes the brutal violence at houses of worship we have seen increase over the past decade — Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME, Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life, Chabad of Poway, Grand Blanc’s Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, and so much more. No one should ever have to fear for their safety while gathering to mourn, worship, or celebrate — yet this tragedy underscores the epidemic of mass violence and increasing extremism threatening communities across our nation.

While we are still learning more about the circumstances of this attack, we know that every attack on our communities strikes at the heart of our democracy and our fundamental freedoms. People of all faiths must be able to gather in safety and peace, especially in their most vulnerable moments of grief. This moment demands urgent action: a whole-of-society response to address polarization and increasingly normalized violence, extremism, and hate; restoration and expansion of funding for hate crimes prevention and community safety programs that protect houses of worship and other institutions; and strengthened coalitions across faith communities to confront violence and bigotry together. We extend our deepest condolences to the LDS community and to all who are grieving and remain committed to building the safer, more inclusive democracy that our communities deserve.”