A fatal shooting in Kearns on Monday, Aug. 17, forced a full campus lockdown at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, diverting ambulances away from the Salt Lake Valley's primary Level I trauma center for hours and canceling patient appointments for the rest of the day.

Unified Police Department Assistant Chief Justin Hoyal, who commands the agency that serves Holladay, confirmed that shooting victims were transported to the Murray hospital, prompting the closure. Law enforcement from approximately 10 agencies responded to the medical center campus.

"Obviously, following a situation as catastrophic and tragic as what took place in Kearns today, there's emotions that are involved, and we just want to make sure that everybody is safe," Hoyal told ABC4 Utah.

The restriction began after friends and family members of the victims started arriving at the hospital. No arrests were made at the medical center. Hoyal described the response as entirely precautionary.

As of 2:30 p.m. Monday, ambulances were being rerouted to other hospitals. Anyone needing emergency care could not be taken to IMC. Hospital spokesman Jess Gomez said the campus was closed but all patients and staff inside remained safe, calling it "entirely a precautionary measure by law enforcement and the community."

The diversion was expected to last into the early evening.

What happened in Kearns

The shooting erupted around 11:25 a.m. outside a church near 5015 South and 4620 West in Kearns during a funeral, according to KSL NewsRadio. One man was killed and two others were critically injured.

Hoyal said UPD officers were already at the church when shots rang out. People planning to attend the funeral had called police earlier that morning warning there could be a problem and asking for a visible law enforcement presence.

One victim was found in the road with critical injuries and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. A second victim was carried to a vehicle that fled the scene; officers pursued and stopped it near 4700 South and 4000 West in West Valley City. A third victim was found at the church in critical condition.

Police are investigating whether the shooting involved gang activity. Hoyal said investigators believe the violence was isolated and did not pose a broader threat to the surrounding community. He added that investigators believed they had identified everyone involved and were interviewing them Monday afternoon.

Why it matters locally

Intermountain Medical Center is one of only two Level I trauma centers in Utah, alongside University of Utah Hospital. The 504-bed Murray facility serves as a major referral center for the Salt Lake Valley, including Cottonwood Heights and Holladay. When ambulances are diverted from IMC, emergency patients from both communities must be transported to more distant facilities.

Three schools near the Kearns shooting scene were also briefly placed on secure protocol Monday morning at the direction of law enforcement, according to KUTV. Those protocols were lifted just after noon.

The Unified Police Department, which provides law enforcement services to Holladay, is the lead investigating agency. No arrests had been announced as of Monday afternoon.