Paula Tahi

In the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City, Utah, the life of Paula Tupou Bloomfield Tahi, a 15-year-old Black/African American male, was cut short by gunfire on January 13, 2022. A student at Hunter High School, Paula was a quarterback for the school’s football team and was remembered by those who knew him as a motivator who was family-oriented and fun to be around. His cousin, Sepi Lokotui, was so close to him that she called him her brother. “If only people would know how bad it hurts to lose someone so close to you, maybe you guys would stop shooting,” she said after his death.

The shooting occurred on a sidewalk near the school, at the intersection of 4100 South and Mountain View Corridor. Investigators reported that a long-simmering dispute between two groups of students had escalated that day. An initial physical fight was broken up, but a second confrontation followed soon after. During this encounter, shots were fired into the group that included Paula. He and his 14-year-old teammate, Tivani Lopati, were killed. A third student, 15-year-old Ephraim Asiata, was also shot and critically injured but survived his wounds.

The West Valley City police investigation quickly led to the arrest of a 14-year-old classmate of the victims. According to police, the suspect had brought a 9mm handgun to school that day. He later told investigators that he and his friends had been harassed by the other group of students.

The 14-year-old suspect was charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court with two counts of murder, one count of discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, and other firearm and obstruction of justice charges. The suspect denied the charges, and his attorney stated an intention to argue self-defense. Prosecutors indicated their intent to move the case from juvenile court to adult court.

In the days following the shooting, the community mourned the loss of the two young men. Family, friends, and teammates gathered for vigils, and a memorial of balloons, posters, and candles grew at the site of the tragedy. As of January 2022, the case was proceeding through the court system.