WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, Jan. 21, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The West Valley City Police Department has shared new details in the Jan. 13 shooting near Hunter High School, which left two students dead, and a third critically wounded.
The boys killed were Tivani Lopati, 14, and Paul Tahi, 15. Surviving with critical injuries is Ephraim Asiata, 15, who was moved out of intensive care Friday.
All three victims were football players.
Police have said the shootings took took place near the school, and started as a physical altercation before a gun was drawn and fired.
Three juvenile male suspects were originally taken into custody for questioning, but only one, a 14-year-old, was booked into detention. A fourth person was interviewed later but was not arrested.
The name of the boy taken into detention will not be released unless he is tried as an adult.
The WVCPD updates:
Friday, West Valley City PD provide updates in the case via Twitter. “The third victim, who has been recovering in the hospital, remains hospitalized but is making significant improvements,” WVCPD wrote.
“We have traced the gun believed to have been used in the shooting back to its original sale. That sale occurred in the state of Utah in 2013. Further investigation is underway to determine what path the gun took to end up becoming involved in this incident,” the tweet said.
“It has been determined that the victims and the suspect in this case, as well as three other teens initially questioned, all attend Hunter High School. Work is still underway to establish the timeline of events and the circumstances that led up to the shooting.”
