GRANTSVILLE, Utah, Jan. 20, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A candlelight vigil will be held Monday night to honor the four people shot dead on Friday in Grantsville, three of whom were children, as well as a fifth victim who is in stable condition.
Grantsville Police Cpl. Rhonda Fields told Gephardt Daily that all shot are believed to be members of the same family, but she said police will not confirm that fact until victim identities are formally released, likely on Monday.
A fifth victim, an adult male, sustained gunshot wounds and was transported to an area hospital. Fields said at the scene that the suspect, a teenage minor, accompanied the surviving victim to the hospital.
The candlelight vigil will be held Monday at 7 p.m. at Grantsville City Park at East Cherry Street, across the street from Grantsville High School.
Participants are asked to bring a candle if possible and extras to share. There will also be candles at the location.
The woman and children who died in Grantsville were found in a residence on Eastmoor Drive, near Main Street, Fields told reporters. Police were dispatched to the scene just after 7 p.m. Friday.
Fields confirmed to Gephardt Daily on Saturday that the young suspect is in custody at a juvenile detention facility.
A Facebook fundraiser has been set up titled ‘Funeral and Medical Expenses for the Haynie Family.’
The page says: “A local family suffered a great loss this weekend. A mom and her three minor children were killed and the father was hospitalized. The family now has to pay the very expensive funeral and medical expenses related to this tragedy. There will be many expenses that will come up including having the home cleaned, repaired and made to feel like a home again. As a loving community, there have been many that have asked what can be done. This is the very best place to start. Thank you in advance for any donations, kind words, or up lifting messages that are sent. They are very much appreciated.”
As of Monday at noon, the page has raised $71,494 of a goal of $90,000 and 1,691 people have donated. Many offered messages of support and shared the fundraiser on their own pages.
One Facebook user wrote: “Words can never heal the pain but take comfort knowing your community is rallying behind you and are here for you. What you have gone through is something nobody should have to witness but this community will help raise you up on your darkest of days and shine light on the good this world still has in store for you. God bless you all.”
Another wrote: “Our donation comes from our broken hearts for your family. We can’t even fathom the depth of your grief. We are praying for comfort and any kind of love and light God can give you. May God hold you in his grace and someday find you peace.”
A third user wrote: “My heart is tender and empathetic as I see this tragedy come to a well loved family… prayers and love will get them through. This I know. Grantsville is a community that will rally around us when we need it! We are blessed.”
Grantsville Mayor Brent Marshall spoke to reporters near the shooting scene, confirming those involved were members of a single family.
“I’m sure it will take days or even longer to try and piece together what brought all of this on and why it happened, if we ever get to know why it happened,” Marshall said. “It’s upsetting. This is normally a very quiet neighborhood, and any time you have children involved in something, it becomes very emotional, very fast.”
Tooele County Schools announced grief counselors will be available when school resumes Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked to hear of the events that occurred in Grantsville,” the post said. “We want to express our sincere condolences to those who have been impacted by this tragic situation. It is important that we stand together to care for and support each other through this difficult time. The District crisis team has been working to ensure students and staff will have counseling services in the Grantsville area, as well as in schools throughout Tooele County School District. Services will be available on Tuesday, Jan. 21. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”
The link to the Facebook fundraiser can be found here.
The incident is the largest mass shooting in Utah since the shooting in Trolley Square that occurred on the evening of Feb. 12, 2007. In that instance, a gunman identified as Sulejman Talović killed five people and wounded four others before being shot dead by several members of the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
