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Utah massacre of 8 caused by man who shot his family, then himself

06 January 2023 03:10 (UTC +04:00)

A 42-year-old Utah man shot dead seven members of his family including five children ranging in age from 4 to 17 and then turned the gun on himself in a massacre that has devastated the small town of Enoch City, officials said on Thursday.

Officials had reported the tragedy on Wednesday but had offered few details beyond the death toll of eight, saying further investigation was needed.

But a statement issued on Thursday by Enoch City identified the shooter as Michael Haight, who shot dead his wife, Tausha Haight, 40, and her mother, Gail Earl, 78.

The children killed were a 4-year-old boy, a 7-year-old boy, a 7-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl, the statement added without naming then.

Police were summoned to the home for a welfare check after the family had not been heard from for an extended time, and they found the bodies of three adults and five minors, City Manager Rob Dotson said on Wednesday.

Enoch City, with a population of about 8,000, is in southwestern Utah, about 250 miles (400 km) south of Salt Lake City.