SANDY — Friends and family honored the life of 16-year-old Kian Hamilton, who died Friday night after being stabbed in the parking lot of the Mountain American Expo Center.
Hamilton was a sophomore at Jordan High School. His family, friends, their parents, teachers and coaches filled the school’s parking lot for a candlelight vigil Sunday night.
They remembered Hamilton as a funny kid with an infectious smile and a strong work ethic on the field.
“I’m super passionate about the game and the way he plays,” said teammate Noah Gatti. “When he had problems or whatever, he worked hard until he got it right. And I think that’s something we can all learn from Kian.”
“A hard-working child”
Baseball head coach Chad Fife said Hamilton follows instructions well on the field. He said Hamilton has been a hard-working kid.
“He’s one of those guys that comes in early and stays late and asks me and the other coaches, ‘Hey, what can I do to get better?’ and he works tirelessly at it,” Fife said. “And probably the best thing for him is he’s worked hard in the buildup, and that’s what we’re pushing here. Grades before games.”
Hundreds of people gathered around Hamilton’s family members, holding each other as people sobbed and told stories about this young man.
Friends and family honored the life of 16-year-old Kian Hamilton at a candlelight vigil on Sunday, August 25, 2024. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
“He’s a baseball kid for life and he was really good at it, but I was shocked to see that we see kids from all the surrounding high schools, and when you’re in the baseball world, we really are all one big family,” Fife said. “We’ve gotten a lot of condolences and well-wishes from every high school in the state, many of them have contacted me.”
Teammates suffer
His teammates have spent the entire summer practicing baseball with him. Fife said the young men are upset.
“It’s just hard to know how it happened. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and something bad happened,” Gatti said.
Gatti said his team is taking time off from practice this week to be together and heal.
“We probably won’t touch a baseball, bat or glove,” Gatti said. “It’s just about being together and making sure we’re there for each other.”
Gatti said he hopes Hamilton’s family knows they can count on the community’s support.
The investigation into the stabbing is ongoing. Sandy police said a suspect has been arrested. This person is also a minor, so his identity has not been released.
