Father fetching baby formula gunned down outside church as Tongan community mourns

Salt Lake City — What began as a night of prayer and remembrance for the Tongan community has ended in bloodshed, heartbreak and unanswered questions after a father of 12 was shot dead outside a church while trying to care for his baby.

Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46, was killed Wednesday night in the back car park of a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in Salt Lake City — not as part of any fight, but while briefly stepping outside to get baby formula from his car. He never made it back inside.

Seconds after Tulikihihifo walked out of the church doors, at least 10 gunshots rang out. He collapsed on the pavement, struck down as an innocent bystander.

Another Tongan man, 38-year-old Sione Vatuvei, was also killed. Six others were wounded in the shooting, which took place while mourners gathered inside to attend a memorial service for a member of the Pacific Islander community.

Police say the violence stemmed from a dispute between individuals at the service. They have confirmed Tulikihihifo was not involved in the confrontation and insist the attack was neither random nor targeted at the church itself. The investigation remains ongoing, with a suspect still being sought.

For the Tongan and wider Pacific Islander community in Utah — and across the diaspora — the pain is raw.

“This is a tragedy in our community,” said Susi Feltch-Malohifo’ou, CEO of Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action Resources. “Condolences to the families.”

Inside the church that night, Tulikihihifo’s wife, Nani, was trying to soothe their fussy five-month-old son. Worried the baby’s cries would disrupt the service, she asked her husband to quickly grab formula from their minivan. It was a simple act of fatherhood — one that would cost him his life.

Family members say they do not know whether Tulikihihifo ever reached the car.

“Why him? We just don’t understand,” said cousin Kalo Nau. “He was just an innocent bystander. This is such a senseless act.”

The shooting has left visible scars — bullet holes in the church building that serves two Tongan congregations, and police markings across the car park where shell casings fell. But the deeper wounds are being carried by families and a community already gathered in grief.

Tulikihihifo, affectionately known as “Junior” or “Boney,” was remembered as a devoted father, a man of faith, and someone who always showed up for others. A Costco employee, lifelong Lakers and Dodgers fan, and proud family man, he was known for his humour, warmth and constant pride in his children.

He had already endured loss earlier in life, having lost his first wife in a car accident. Together they had two children. He later remarried and shared 10 more children with Nani — a blended family he cherished deeply.

“He was just there for everybody,” Nau said through tears. “He always put family first.”

Vatuvei, the second man killed, was also mourned by those who knew him. He was described as someone who had recently begun turning his life around, distancing himself from gang involvement and seeking a better future.

The fact that both men died outside a church — during a memorial service — has intensified the trauma for Pacific Island families, many of whom view church as a place of refuge, safety and unity.

Shockwaves from the shooting have spread through Tongan communities in Utah, the United States, and across the Pacific, with growing calls for justice, healing and stronger protection for community spaces.

What was first reported as a violent confrontation has now revealed a far more devastating truth: a father was killed while answering his baby’s needs — not looking for trouble, not part of any fight, just trying to care for his family.

For many Pacific Islanders watching from afar, the loss of Vaea Tulikihihifo is not just another headline. It is a reminder of how quickly violence can steal a life — and how even the most ordinary acts of love can end in tragedy.

Source: Salt Lake Media