Police provide update in deadly shooting near Hunter High School

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Police have released new details in the shooting of three teens near Hunter High School last week.

Officials with the West Valley City Police Department shared on social media Friday that the third victim “remains hospitalized but is making significant improvements.”

Ephraim Asiata, 15, is the only one who survived the shooting on Thursday, Jan. 13.

Tivani Lopati, 14, and Paul Tahi, 15, were both killed.

Updates regarding the 1/13 shooting of three teens near Hunter High School:

The third victim, who has been recovering in the hospital, remains hospitalized but is making significant improvements. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/lT3tVwiOMF

— WVC Police (@WVCPD) January 21, 2022

Police also shared information about the gun that was used in the deadly shooting.

“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,” read a tweet from the WVCPD.

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.

— WVC Police (@WVCPD) January 21, 2022

The last update provided by police Friday is that the suspect and three victims, as well as the other teens that have been questioned, are all students of Hunter High School.

“Work is still underway to establish the timeline of events and the circumstances that led up to the shooting,” police wrote in a tweet.

The 14-year-old accused of shooting the three teens appeared in court for the first time Wednesday.

State prosecutors say they want him to be tried as an adult in this case.

State prosecutors want teen accused in shooting near Hunter High to be tried as adult