Husband, wife dead in apparent murder-suicide shooting on University of Utah campus
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) - A wife and husband are dead after an apparent murder-suicide shooting Thursday at the University of Utah.
Police named the couple Thursday evening as Katherine Peralta, 23, and Richard Peralta 25.
Police said Katherine Peralta was dead when they arrived and Richard Peralta died at the hospital.
University police spokesman Dale Brophy said Richard Peralta shot and killed Katherine Peralta in the ARUP parking lot in the campus' Research Park. He then shot himself and was said to be in grave condition at a hospital before his death.
It is believed the couple had one young child.
It is not yet known what caused Richard Peralta to shoot and kill his wife. Police were interviewing witnesses of the shooting at the scene.
Police received the emergency call at 4:45 p.m. and by the time they arrived at the scene, the shooting was over, Brophy said.
The ARUP building is located on Chipeta Way in the Research Park area of the university.
There was a lockdown put in place of the complex, but it has been lifted.
The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition urged that anyone knowing off somebody in danger, call 911 immediately. It also offered free and confidential support for domestic violence survivors at 1.800.897.5465. Prevention and resource information can be found at UDVC.org/udvc/news-room#messaging.
