WEST BOUNTIFUL — A West Bountiful man entrenched in the local music scene who had a big heart for up-and-coming musicians was killed and his wife injured in a terrorist attack in London on Wednesday.

Kurt Cochran, 54, and his wife, Melissa, were to return home Thursday after touring Europe the past 2 ½ weeks to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They were in London visiting the woman's parents, who are serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a church spokesman confirmed,

The couple is from West Bountiful, and Melissa Cochran's parents are from Ogden, according to the church spokesman. The Cochrans have two adult sons.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack, which police said was carried out by Khalid Masood, a U.K.-born resident of the West Midlands in central England.

Five people died, including the attacker.

Masood plowed a rented SUV into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing Cochran, a 43-year-old British schoolteacher and a 75-year-old man and injuring more than 30 people of almost a dozen nationalities, according to the Associated Press.

Family members say the Cochrans were among the first people hit by the SUV on the bridge.

Masood then proceeded to Parliament where he stabbed police officer Keith Palmer, 48, to death. Police shot and killed Masood, who was born Adrian Elms in Kent, England, according to the BBC.

Melissa Cochran was hospitalized with "serious" injuries, according to a family statement issued by Clint Payne, the woman's brother. She suffered a broken leg, a broken rib, as well as a cut on her head and bruises.

"Kurt was a good man and a loving husband to our daughter and sister, Melissa," the family said.

The family expressed appreciation for police and emergency personnel who responded to the attack. They asked for prayers and privacy as they mourn and while Melissa Cochran heals. A GoFundMe account has been established for the couple.

In a Facebook post, Shantell Payne said her brother-in-law couldn't overcome the injuries he received in the terror attack. "This pain is so heart-wrenching and raw it has rocked our family and all that knew him to its core. We will miss Kurt beyond words. We love you Kurt. RIP."

The Cochrans were self-employed and spent the past decade building their own recording studio and company. They have donated their talents to the annual Summerfest celebration in Bountiful, the Bountiful Main Street Arts and Music Festival, local school productions and other community projects.

Bret Layton and Kurt Cochran were business partners in Onion Street Studio, which they built in a basement, fulfilling one of the West Bountiful man's dreams. Layton, of Kearns, said they met 20 years ago and hit it off immediately with a shared affinity for rock music.

"He's just one of those guys where you know you're going to be friends in talking to him within five minutes," he said. "When you get to do what you love with one of your best friends, there's nothing more that you can ask for."

Layton last saw the Cochrans a couple of days before they left on their trip. He said they talked about him handling the business while they were gone and just enjoyed each others' company.

Layton said it's tough to grasp senseless terrorist attacks on innocent people, and it's even tougher when it's someone close to you.

"It brings a lot of anger and sadness at the same time," he said. "You wish you could snap your fingers and all the garbage would go away."

Layton plans to keep the studio going, but said he wants to see how Melissa Cochran feels about that.

"I just want to make sure she's good. I don't want any bad memories for her. I want to be there for her until the day I die," he said.

Some local bands plan to put on a benefit concert for the family when Melissa Cochran returns home, he said.

Terror 'hits home'

Onion Street Studio records a variety of local bands and artists, said Mike Murphy, a musician and neighbor of the Cochrans. Cochran didn't charge much and was lenient with the payments, he said.

"A lot of the younger bands from this area, kids that were just getting started in a band, they'd go down there and record because they could afford it and because he had really good equipment and a great little studio area," said Murphy, who owns Murphy's Guitars in Bountiful, where Cochran was also a customer.

Murphy used to perform at restaurants around the area and could count on the Cochrans to be in the crowd.

"Kurt and Melissa always came to listen to me. They were there almost every week that I was playing," he said.

Murphy described Cochran as a "great guy" who had a "great smile."

Terror attacks always happen so far away, but "now all of a sudden it hits home," he said. "I know that this neighborhood will rally."

Kevin Stevenson, a neighbor of the Cochrans, said he was shocked to learn the couple, who lives on his street, had been caught up in a tragedy so far away, calling it "a one in a million" incident.

The couple has lived in the neighborhood for five or six years, Stevenson estimated, and have always been friendly. He keeps an eye out for the couple when the weather is nice and they spend time in their yard.

"(Kurt) talks to everybody, loves to do yardwork," Stevenson said. "He draws people to him. He's just a nice guy, he'll sit and talk to you, you know? He's a warm guy."

Stevenson also praised the couple's recording studio, where he said he has worked with the couple on past projects.

Melissa Cochran has also been a kind neighbor, Stevenson said, and the neighborhood is ready to support her.

"We've had texts already this morning. People are concerned and want to know how they can help the family," Stevenson said.

Neighbor Rick George said Cochran records all kinds of artists from moms singing church music to rock bands to country groups at his studio.

"He loved all of it. He loved sharing it with others," he said. "He really appreciated people's different talents. He loved giving them a chance to express themselves."

Cochran attended a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert several years ago at which George danced.

"And he's like, 'Yeah, you were fine, but that organist was amazing,'" George recalled.

He said Cochran loaned him snow shovels when he moved into the neighborhood from Las Vegas on a snowy day. "He was super friendly," he added.

Members of the local rock band Dealin' in Dirt met Cochran two years ago during open mic night at Mestizo Coffee House near downtown Salt Lake City. He became the band's sound engineer and good friend. He often let them use the studio for free.

"To see somebody that special that donated time to us, donated studio time to use and gave us such a positive feeling when we got together, to be taken way from us is pretty sad," said guitarist Kenny McCurdy. "My heart goes out to Melissa sitting in a hospital bed across the ocean. It's a rough day."

Bountiful Davis Art Center officials said the Cochrans were members of the Summerfest committee and had run the Onion Street Sound Stage during the music festival for several years.

"We could not have run this event without their help," they said in a statement. "Kurt was an amazing individual to work with. He was very easy going and made us all laugh."

Political condolences

The attack came on the one-year anniversary of the Brussels airport bombing that injured four Mormon missionaries.

President Donald Trump sent this tweet Thursday morning: "A great American, Kurt Cochran, was killed in the London terror attack. My prayers and condolences are with his family and friends."

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, offered condolences to the Cochran family in a prepared statement. “My office has reached out to the Cochran family to offer support. Elaine and I offer our most sincere condolences to the Cochrans and stand ready to help them in any way we can. Our prayers are with the victims, their family, friends and loved ones.”

"It may be a sign of the times we can't constantly have these terrorist attacks but we have a victim now from Utah," said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert. "I join with Prime Minister Theresa May who condemned yesterday's attack, calling it a sick and depraved terrorist attack, which is exactly what it is."

Herbert said, "Our prayers go out to the Cochran family. We pray for Melissa's recovery and all those who were injured and certainly ask for help and peace and comfort given to those who have been harmed in this terrorist attack."

Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said in statement that he was "distraught and heartbroken" to learn about the Utah couple.

"This is unfortunately another reminder that across the world we are facing huge challenges. We are in the midst of a generational fight against global terrorism. But we must keep our heads high. We cannot let the world’s evils destroy our values and take our freedoms," said Stewart, a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, said she was heartbroken to hear about the "violent death" of Cochran and the injury to his wife.

"This kind of vicious terrorist attack cannot be tolerated," she said in a statement. We as Utahns are united in grief and loss, and our thoughts and prayers go out to their friends and family."

Contributing: Mary Richards, Caitlin Burchill, Nicole Vowell