08/18/2026
NTAS Statement Regarding Today’s Tragic Shooting in Kearns, Utah
Kearns, Utah - August 17, 2026. Our hearts are heavy today as we grieve with the families and loved ones affected by the tragic violence in our Tongan community.
We extend our deepest love and condolences to those who have lost loved ones, to those who were injured, and to everyone carrying the pain of what happened.
Funerals hold a deeply important place in Tongan culture. They are a time when families, churches, friends, and the wider community come together to mourn, honor a loved one, show respect, and help carry a family through its grief. To have violence take place at such a gathering makes this tragedy even more painful.
We must be clear that violence has no place in our community. Whatever disagreements, hurt, anger, or conflict may exist between individuals, violence cannot be our answer.
When something like this happens, the pain does not stop with the people directly involved. It reaches parents, children, siblings, extended families, churches, and ultimately all of us.
This is a difficult moment for our Tongan community in Utah, but it should not be a moment that pulls us further apart. We need one another. We need to find better ways to work through conflict, to listen to one another, and to look out for the well-being of our families and our young people.
To all who has been affected by this tragedy and is in need of support, please reach out to the National Tongan American Society. We want our community to know that you do not have to carry this pain alone, and we will do what we can to connect individuals and families with support and resources during this difficult time.
To the families directly affected, please know that we mourn with you and stand beside you.
May we move forward with greater love and respect for one another, and with a shared commitment to peace and unity within our Tongan community.
'Ofa lahi atu.
‘Ivoni M. Nash
President
National Tongan American Society
[email protected]
