The shooting took place in the back parking lot of a house of worship for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Utah-based faith known widely as the Mormon church.
Authorities said no suspect was in custody Wednesday.
All the victims were adults. At least three of the injured were in critical condition, police said.
Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith. They also don't think the shooting was random.
“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.
The red brick church in the northwest Salt Lake City neighborhood mostly serves Tongan congregants and holds regular worship services in their native tongue, according to its website.
About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead. Neighbors huddled in blankets next to a taco truck, watching the officers work and waiting for updates.
Police said they were reviewing license plate readers and surveillance videos from nearby businesses in their search for a suspect.
