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London Terrorist Attack Leaves Utah Man Dead And His Wife Injured

Courtesy of Clint Payne

Kurt and Melissa Cochran from West Bountiful were among those caught in the London terrorist attack Wednesday. Kurt was killed while his wife Melissa survived with serious injuries.

According to a statement from the family, the couple was in London celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, and were scheduled to return to the United States the following day.

 

But they happened to be on Westminster Bridge when an attacker targeted pedestrians with his car. Kurt Cochran was one of the two people he killed there. The suspect went on to fatally stab a police officer.

 

Governor Gary Herbert offered a statement of condolence during his monthly press conference:

 

“Our prayers go out to the Cochran family. We pray for Melissa’s recovery and all those who are injured and certainly ask for help and peace and comfort given to those who have been harmed in this tragic terrorist attack.”

 

The couple was also visiting Melissa Cochran’s parents who are serving as missionaries in London for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

One of 40 people injured in the attack, Melissa is currently in the hospital recovering.

 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to provide assistance to the family.

Lee Hale began listening to KUER while he was teaching English at a Middle School in West Jordan (his one hour commute made for plenty of listening time). Inspired by what he heard he applied for the Kroc Fellowship at NPR headquarters in DC and to his surprise, he got it. Since then he has reported on topics ranging from TSA PreCheck to micro apartments in overcrowded cities to the various ways zoo animals stay cool in the summer heat. But, his primary focus has always been education and he returns to Utah to cover the same schools he was teaching in not long ago. Lee is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is also fascinated with the way religion intersects with the culture and communities of the Beehive State. He hopes to tell stories that accurately reflect the beliefs that Utahns hold dear.
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