A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the deadly shooting outside an LDS church in Salt Lake City that left two Tongans dead and six others injured on January 7.
Ryan Daniel Toutai was taken into custody and charged with one count of obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, according to local media reports and court documents.
The charge follows an extensive police investigation into the shooting, which erupted outside a church during a funeral attended by members of the Tongan community.
Sione Leonaitasi Vatuvei, 38, and Vaea Tulikihihifo Jr, 45, were identified as the two victims who died in the shooting.
According to court records, Toutai was interviewed by law enforcement after the incident.
He told officers he had taken an Uber to the funeral and was inside the church when he heard gunshots. He said he stepped outside and saw a victim on the ground but claimed he did not see anyone with a firearm.
Despite his denial of involvement, investigators say Toutai closely matched descriptions provided by multiple witnesses of one of the shooters and was identified as being involved in an altercation in the church parking lot shortly before the gunfire erupted.
Police recovered a handgun, multiple spent shell casings, and a blue Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap at the scene.
Video evidence reportedly shows Toutai wearing a hat matching the one recovered after the shooting.
Court documents further state that a video found on Toutai’s phone shows him handling the same firearm recovered at the scene. The footage was recorded approximately one month before the shooting.
Investigators also obtained additional videos showing Toutai driving a car with another man shortly before the funeral. The passenger was identified as one of the other individuals involved in the parking lot altercation.
During a follow-up interview, detectives confronted Toutai with the evidence. He continued to deny any involvement in the shooting.
Charging documents note that Toutai has acknowledged gang involvement and that he was “dressed in gang colors” at the time of the event.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing as they continue to piece together the events that led to one of the deadliest incidents to affect the Tongan community in Utah.
