The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk was shot during Turning Point USA’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Tess Crowley, Deseret News
For the residents of Utah, 2025 was a very mixed bag of emotions and the Deseret News photojournalists were, once again, on the front lines covering the emotional stories that in many ways, rocked our world.
In September, the Beehive State was at the epicenter of political violence when Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated on the Utah Valley University campus.
Deseret News photojournalist Tess Crowley was one of several journalists covering the event and was swept down onto the ground after the fatal shot rang out.
Within moments, Crowley was able to get up and start documenting the panic and horror of the attendees as they started to realize what had happened.
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But mixed in through the year, there were many uplifting moments in the daily lives of not only Utahns, but others that we covered across the country and around the globe.
The photos captured lighthearted moments like pond skimming to wrap up a busy ski season, to celebrating the new St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church opening, to the excitement of watching grade-schoolers receive brand new shoes from Operation Warmth and FedEx.
And we paid tribute to those we lost this year, like President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pope Francis, former Congresswoman Mia Love and fallen first responders in Tremonton.
Here’s a look at 67 of our most impactful photographs that captured 2025.
Sam Royal, assistant build manager, moves an ice block while helping to build the Ice Castles in Midway on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. The Ice Castles will open to the public Jan. 15 and feature a nightly fire show, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and ice slides, towers and tunnels. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Utah National Guard Sgt. Slaughter stands at attention while the pledge of allegiance is recited during a bench dedication by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution at a part of the Murray City Cemetery where many veterans are buried, in Murray on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
The Columbia statue is pictured on top of the Salt Lake City and County Building as smog settles over the Salt Lake Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
People from the University of Utah and construction partners participate in a ground breaking for a $155 million, 1,400-bed University of Utah student housing development, at Kahlert Village on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Eduardo Amezquita prepares to perform a Mayan dance ritual in “Little L.A.” located in the Colonia Tabacalera neighborhood, a gathering spot for young Mexicans who grew up in the United States, at the Monument to the Revolution in Mexico City on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. Radical creativity coordinator at Otros Dreams en Acción, an organization that supports deportees and returnees, Varuk Racine, 37, said that Mexican indigenous communities are commonly left out of the deportee conversation. It is especially difficult for them to provide their Mexican citizenship after arriving back to the country due to Mexico’s antiquated registration system. “Mexico is also home to lots of indigenous communities where sometimes the records there are still in paper, and then you have to go and dig everything up, and it's not in a computer and not systemized,” Racine said. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Somali refugee Farhiyo Ahmed and her daughter, Ikhlas, sit in their apartment in Millcreek on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. Ahmed was looking forward to her parents’ and brother’s arrival in Salt Lake City, but due to President Trump’s refugee resettlement suspension, they could not come. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
A person crashes while skiing in fresh snow at Solitude Mountain Resort in Brighton on Thursday, March 6, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Pamela Atkinson poses for a portrait in her home in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Women and children gather for a meeting to pay their loan payments in the village of Gopaldi outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Feb. 26, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Mike Bretz speaks out at a town hall held by Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy after Maloy said she does not believe that President Trump should not be impeached at the Carolyn and Kem Gardner Commons at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 20, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Trisha Enriquez, center right, of the University of Utah School of Medicine, is embraced by her father Cesar Enriquez, center left, brother Jeremiah Enriquez, front left, and mother Josephine Enriquez, front right, after she opened her match envelope to find out where she will live and work for the next few years while completing her residency, at the University of Utah Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 21, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
People protest outside Congressman and DOGE co-chair Blake Moore's GOP Luncheon at Timbermine Steakhouse in Ogden on Saturday, March 22, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Julie Paw, Leah Hernandez and Antonia Lancheros Lopez get excited about their new shoes as students at Liberty Elementary Community Learning Center in Salt Lake City receive new shoes from FedEx and Operation Warm on Friday, March 28, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Jonah Moesser, left, and Dani Kunz, right, both from Lehi, throw color in the air during Holi celebrations at the Spanish Fork Festival of Colors at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork on Sunday, March 30, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Utahns protesting during a National Day of Protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk can be seen through the reflection of Dustin Hendel’s sunglasses at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 5, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife Sister Wendy Nelson greet 8 year old Ella Hadley after the Sunday afternoon session of the 195th annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 6, 2025. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Desere
Mia Love’s brother-in-law Jarid Love, left, comforts Mia Love’s son, Peyton Love, right, during a public viewing to honor Congresswoman Mia Love’s memory held at the State Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 6, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Second grader Fife Webster, 8, smiles as Afton Mann, a Utah Valley University student studying dental hygiene in her first year of her cohort, points out biofilm that has turned purple from a disclosing tablet during a weekly dental clinic held by UVU students and staff at Westmore Elementary School in Orem on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Bella Edwards poses as her friends take photos of her under a canopy of cherry blossoms outside of the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Ray Vegely of Park City, dressed as painter Bob Ross, falls while competing in the pond skimming competition at Park City Mountain Resort on Saturday, April 12, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
A parishioner touches a photo of the late Pope Francis after a mass for the late pope held at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Friends and family gather at Intermountain Medical Center on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, to wish Sabrina Wilhite well as she heads home for what he hopes is the last time. Third from left, her sister Jessica, who was also injured in the crash, celebrates with a hug. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Nate Coles and Lincoln Anderson look at a fish as they and other kids fish as the DWR holds a fishing day at Salem Pond to help special needs kids catch fish on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah media members take part in a tour of the stained glass dome in the new state office building at the Utah Capitol complex in Salt Lake City on Monday, May 19, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Scott Glen’s dog Pip, left, bites a sheep while competing in the final day’s double-lift course, a more complex course with two groups of Rambouillet ewes on the Olympic hillside, at the 21st Annual Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Championship & Festival held at the Soldier Hollow Olympic venue in Midway on Monday, May 26, 2025. Glen and Pip won the competition. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Joe Horton, of Murray, swims laps in the pool at the Sports Mall in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Samantha Pruschki and her husband, Daniel Pruschki read together in the shade in a hammock at Bells Canyon Reservoir in Sandy as temperatures rose to the low 90s in Salt Lake County on Sunday, June 1, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Hsar Wah is highlighted by a beam of light while performing a traditional Karen Dance with other dancers from the Karen Community of Utah during the Utah Asian Festival at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 7, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Unified Fire Authority Firefighters Dominic Davila, left, and Dace Duthie, right, sit with a cat after rescuing it from an apartment fire at 3975 S 805 E in Millcreek on Thursday, June 26, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Doug McGregor, a member of the Utah Society Sons of the American Revolution, wears replicas of late 18th century eye glasses while speaking to Liberty’s Light campers in Murray City Park on Friday, June 27, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Yosan Zeray, 9, hugs her mother, Shewit Drar, during a celebration ceremony honoring the completion of the new St. Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in North Salt Lake on Saturday, June 28, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
A boat docks in Utah Lake at American Fork Boat Harbor in American Fork on Monday, June 30, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Brigham Holmstrom, 10, right, places his hand on his heart as the American flag is carried in the Freedom Festival Parade in Provo on Friday, July 4, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Jordan Faucette kisses Mandy Faucette on the cheek while listening to Rascal Flatts perform at the Stadium of Fire at LaVell Edwards Stadium on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo on Friday, July 4, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
A vehicle burns as first responders from multiple agencies respond to a vehicle crash and gas explosion at Dominos Pizza in Herriman on Saturday, July 5, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Jacie Fasselin talks to her son, Jaxten Pressett, before a cattle run to bring cows down from the mountains in Nine Mile Canyon in Carbon County on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Eleven caskets are lined up during funeral services in Maputsoe, Lesotho on Saturday, July 19, 2025 for 11 people killed in an auto accident. The Maputsoe Branch young women’s church group was traveling to a district Young Women activity when their minibus was involved in a multiple vehicle collision. | Jeffrey D. Allred, for the Deser
Salt Lake City Fire Community Relations Division Chief Bob Silverthorne hugs a co-owner of Whiskey Street and White Horse after retrieving an American flag that survived a fire that destroyed both businesses in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Whiskey Street, White Horse, London Belle and Los Tapatios were all destroyed in the fire on the 300 block of South Main Street on Monday night. Behind them, Whiskey Street and White Horse co-owners Matt Crandall and Jason LeCates also embrace. The flag had been hanging on a wall of Whiskey Street since it had opened in 2013. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Carol Thomsen looks to an electric bike secured on a tow truck as Riverton and Herriman police and fire departments respond to a fatal auto and e-bike incident near the intersection of 1300 West and 12600 South in Riverton on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. Thomsen said she was the grandmother of the victim, who has been identified by Riverton Police as 21-year-old Owen Thomsen. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
A firefighter watches as a plane drops fire retardant on the Willard Peak wildfire in the mountains above North Ogden on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Rodeo spectators watch from the stands as the sun sets at the Western Night Rodeo at the Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Twin sisters Nayvee Bateman, 9, left, and Brynklee Bateman, 9, right, pose with their goats before competing in Junior Goat Showmanship at the Utah County Fair in Spanish Fork on Friday, August 1, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Office Bourne of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department mourns the loss of her two fallen colleagues after escorting the casket of Sgt. Lee Sorensen to a funeral home on Main Street in Garland, Utah, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. | Brian Nicholson for the Deseret
Police officers make a cordon to honor Tremonton-Garland police officer Eric Estrada, who was killed in the line of duty, at Estrada’s interment at Logan Cemetery in Logan on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Attendees dance and sing along to the popular songs performed by Andy Grammer during a concert at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, as part of the 2025 Utah Area YSA Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. | Brian Nicholson for the Deseret
Guadalupe Bravo, center, and her children, daughter Katherine Batalla and son Erik Batalla, enjoy a ride during the first day of the Utah State Fair at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Talyn Hollin and Portia Monson, Highland High School freshmen, console each other as their classmates discuss their frustrations with gun laws during a nationwide “walkout” in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Students around the country walked out of class Friday in an effort to protest gun violence in schools. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Aarianua Garrett reacts to the flavor of the green beans at the Salt Lake Greek Festival as she attends with her parents Mike and Terra Mills on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk was shot during Turning Point USA’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk was shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Strangers Cheryl Stout, left, and Charlotte Miller, right, comfort each other after Charlie Kirk was shot during Turning Point USA’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Andrew Parry, left, and his fiancee, Anja Albrecht, right, kneel down to grieve in front of a photo of Charlie Kirk at a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA who was fatally shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at City Center Park in Orem on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Tears stream down Alexa Maliwauki’s face as she attends a Vigil for Unity at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and the founder and president of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot while answering questions at his American Comeback Tour at UVU on Sept. 10. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Stephanie Rossello, a member of the Grand Blanc Ward, hugs a friend after their exit from a reunification center following a fire and shooting at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. | Brice Tucker, for the Deseret Ne
Law enforcement works the scene surrounding the burnt structure of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where a shooting and fire happened on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Dan Beazley, from Northville, Michigan, carries a cross he made that stands 10 feet tall and weighs 65 pounds, at left, while flowers are left by mourners on the ground near crime scene tape near the scene of the burnt structure of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints where a shooting and fire happened on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Grand Blanc Township on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Lily Guizar, right, is photographed by Kathy Pham at Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Apostles stand as the casket of President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is brought in during funeral services at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Desere
The Utah state Capitol is reflected in water droplets on a window in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Dr. Bob Carter, chief executive officer of University of Utah Health and executive vice president of University of Utah for health sciences, works with his team to perform a brain surgery to remove a brain tumor from a patient in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pauses during a tour of the Vatican as part of the Rome Summit on AI Ethics in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Desere
Police officers inspect a motorcycle laying in the road after it was involved in a collision on 5400 S near Taylorsville High School in Taylorsville on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. The driver of the motorcycle was killed after being struck by a car that was fleeing the scene of a separate accident. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Victoria Petro reacts as results are posted showing her in the lead for the District 1 Salt Lake City Council seat at Brickyard Bar in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson shakes hands with WWII Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Julian Lovato, age 101, during a celebration of Utah veteran centenarians at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Sisters Amethyst Hall, 8, left, and Violet Hall, 5, right, from Sandy, admire the Christmas lights at Draper City Park in Draper on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
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