On August 17, 2026, 18-year-old Vilisoni Angilau was killed outside a Kearns, Utah church while attending a relative’s funeral. A physical altercation in the church parking lot involved Vilisoni, his twin brother Vita Angilau, and a 17-year-old attendee. According to reports and witness statements, the 17-year-old’s father, 45-year-old Afuhia Masiu Manatau, allegedly handed his son a firearm; the teenager then opened fire, striking Vilisoni and Vita. Vilisoni was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead; Vita and the 17-year-old were critically injured.

Authorities named Afuhia Masiu Manatau a primary suspect. He was apprehended a short distance from the scene after attempting to flee with his injured son and was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on first-degree felony murder and felony discharge of a firearm charges. The 17-year-old was also identified as a suspect, though his injuries meant any charging decisions would be addressed later. Investigators initially considered gang involvement but concluded the shooting stemmed from a longstanding dispute between the families.

Does anyone have information about the families, the altercation that sparked the shooting, or witnessed the events that afternoon?