Michael Haight

Michael Haight (January 7, 1980 - January 4, 2023) was an American man who killed seven members of his own family before committing suicide at their home in Enoch, Utah in what is recognized as one of the first major mass shootings to occur in the United States in 2023. His motive is unclear, but it is known that his wife had commenced divorce proceedings two weeks prior to the shooting.

Background

Michael Haight was a 42-year-old Utah man who was found dead at his home in Utah along with his family. Haight used to work as an Allstate insurance salesman. His family included his 40-year-old wife, Tausha Haight, his 78-year-old mother, Gail Earl, and Michael’s five children from the age of 4 to 17. The dead bodies were discovered in Enoch City, Southwestern Utah.

According to the city, Michael is the suspect behind the fatal murders. Officials in a press conference mentioned that Michael’s wife Tausha had filed a petition for divorce in late December which might be a factor behind the killings.

Enoch’s Mayor, Geoffrey Chestnut, in a conference said, "The Haights were my neighbors. The youngest children played in my yard with my sons." He further added, "This is a tremendous blow to many, many families who have spent many, many nights with these individuals who are now gone."

Michael’s children’s school, The Iron School District in a letter said, “This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school district, especially our students.”

Rob Dotson, the City Manager said, “We don't know why this happened. No one will probably know what was going through the minds of these individuals, however, we do know that they were our friends, they were our neighbors, and that we loved them."

Michael Haight’s family friend revealed that although he was an insurance agent based out of Cedar City, he had quit his job just a few days before the killings took place.