Neighbors on edge after Hooper house party ends in gunfire

HOOPER, Utah — Neighbors said they were unnerved Monday following a weekend house party at one home in Hooper that ended in gunfire.

Weber County Sheriff’s deputies responded after 2:45 a.m. Sunday to a house near 4800 South and 5100 West following reports of the gun shots, which could be heard in rapid succession on doorbell camera video recorded in the neighborhood.

A surveillance camera in the area also captured multiple cars racing up the street amid the gunfire.

“I just heard, ‘Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,’” recalled Sheri, who asked that her last name not be used due to safety concerns. “It was very scary, very terrifying.”

Sheri said bullet casings were found as far as two blocks away, and Weber County Sheriff’s Lt. Colby Ryan said as many as 30 casings total were recovered.

“The call was about a party disturbance, possible fight and shots fired,” Ryan said.

He said detectives were still actively investigating and that arrests were possible. Ryan said the department was calling on anyone living in the area with cameras to check their footage between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. Sunday and to report any video footage of what happened as well as any other suspicious activity.

Deputies, as well as multiple neighbors, told KSL TV this was not the first time police had responded to the house.

“Since 2019, we’ve responded to at least 14 calls to this house for similar party disturbances,” Ryan said.

He said the initial call in 2019 also included a report of shots fired.

The homeowners told KSL TV late Monday that they don’t condone or associate with any criminal activity. They said it was a Halloween party for friends and family only, and when some uninvited people showed up and were kicked out, that those people got upset and fired off shots. They said one family member was beat up during the ordeal.

“We would love to have them in our neighborhood, but we don’t want all this going on,” Sheri said during an interview with KSL TV. “This just keeps happening and we just want something done.”

Anybody with video or information about the case was asked to contact Deputy Creamer at the Weber County Sheriff’s Office at 801-395-8221.

Hooper City Council Member Debra Marigoni told KSL via email that the situation would be addressed further during a community meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m., and that residents were encouraged to attend.

Sheri said she hoped something would change.

“We don’t want violence,” she said. “We’re scared somebody’s going to get hurt.”