SALT LAKE CITY — The day after a deadly Salt Lake City church shooting, the two victims who were killed have been identified as police continue to investigate what led to the incident.
Sione Vatuvei and Vaea Tulikihihifo, who went by Junior, were the victims shared by the Salt Lake City Police Department.
On Thursday, I spoke wth people close to Vatuvei who told us a little about how he was working hard to get his life on track, and shared his social media with FOX 13 News to show more about his life.
Vatuvei was 38 years old and was on a journey to become a social media content creator, and had amassed a following talking about his life struggles. Close friends confirmed that Sione had been on a path of recovery and was sharing his story of coming out of prison and encouraging others to chart their own path away from gang life and addiction.
Video below shows Vatuvei speaking inside the church in the moments before his death:
Those who knew him well shared that Sione was married and leaves behind a 3-year-old son.
Aside from his social media presence, Vatuvei wrote poetry in prison and continued to do so after his release with hopes of publishing a book of his work. In one poem shared with FOX 13 News, he wrote to his son, “I grew up in a different era, a statistic in the system. A suspect in this life of crime, I've never been a victim.”
Sione went on to write, “break generational curses, it's time for a change. I broke bread with slaves, felt every emotion in a cage.”
Exchange of gunfire occurred during Salt Lake City church shooting that killed 2:
Vatuvei had been a part of a local Pacific Islander group as he yearned to be a leader in the community. Those we spoke to described him as a light to those who knew him.
