8 found dead in Enoch, Utah home

ENOCH CITY, Utah —  Eight people, three adults and five minors, were found dead in a home Wednesday in Enoch City.

According to Enoch City Police Department, police were sent to the 4900 North block of Albert Drive for a welfare check.

When officers checked the home, they found the bodies of three adults and five minors inside the home. Rob Dotson, Enoch City manager, confirmed the victims were members of a family. Each appeared to have been shot.

“We don’t know why this happened and we’re not going to guess, we’re going to continue the police investigation in the home, going through all the details they can, making all the information available they can divulge from what’s happened inside. And we will have more information as it comes forward,” Dotson said.

#BREAKING Enoch City Police officers say they found three adults and five minors deceased inside the home off Albert Dr.
Each appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds. @KSL5TV is following this story and will have the latest at 10:00 pic.twitter.com/9bDZveus0c

— Ashley Moser (@AshleyMoser) January 5, 2023

“At this time, we do not believe there is a threat to the public or that there are any suspects at large. This investigation is still active and more information will be provided at a later time,” police said in a release.

KSL TV spoke with members of the community who have known the family for years, some of them go to church with this family.

KSL TV has chosen not to identify the family at this time.

Community members said they were a typical, loving Latter-day Saint family that was active in the community. The father was an insurance agent. But according to court records, the wife recently filed for divorce.

Iron County School District sent out a letter identifying five of the victims as students within the district.

The letter states,

“It is with deep regret that we inform you about a tragic loss to our school community. This afternoon, on Jan. 4, eight members of a family residing in Enoch with five students in our schools tragically passed away. This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students.

Our district has a Crisis Intervention Team made up of professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents, and school personnel during difficult times such as this. At our schools, we will have counselors available for any student who may need or want help or assistance surrounding this loss. Students should report to the counseling center or their school administrative offices to access that support.”

“We appreciate the prayers that are being prayed on behalf of this family and those who love and care for them,” Dotson said.

Enoch is a smaller city with a population of 8,000, so Wednesday’s news was shocking.

“It’s hard to describe in words, the emotions that are going through the people that live here. We all know this family. Many of us have served with them in church, in the community, or gone to school with these individuals,” Dotson said. “So this community at this time is hurting. They’re feeling loss, they’re feeling  pain, they have a lot of questions which is natural, and they’re here to support.”

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This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information becomes available.