The suspected gunman who has been identified as a 68-year-old Las Vegas man.
David Chou was booked on one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder in connection to Sunday afternoon’s shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a .
Chou is being held on $1,000,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Officials say Chou began shooting just before 1.30pm when about 30 to 40 church-goers were gathered following a luncheon.
One person, who has not been identified, died while an Asian woman, 86, and four Asian men ages 66, 75, 82 and 92 all suffered gunshot wounds from the attack and were taken to hospitals for treatment, the sheriff’s office said.
Parishioners were chatting and taking pictures with Pastor Chang when gunshots rang out, longtime congregant Jerry Chen, 72, told the Associated Press.
A group of congregants thwarted the gunman’s efforts by restraining him, with Pastor Chang hitting him over the head with a chair. Other congregants then pinned the gunman to the ground and hogtied him up with an extension cord, subduing him until officials responded to the scene.
Somewhere between 30 to 40 people, most of whom were of Taiwanese descent, were gathered at the church for morning services and the luncheon, officials said.
Immediately upon hearing gunshots Chen dialed 911, and only later learned of how Pastor Chang and other members of the church detained the gunman.
‘It was amazing how brave [Chang] and the others were,’ he told the AP. ‘This is just so sad. I never, ever thought something like that would happen in my church, in my community.’
Orange County officials also praised the parishioners’ quick thinking that stopped the gunman from causing further harm.
‘That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery in intervening to stop the suspect. They undoubtedly prevented additional injuries and fatalities,’ Orange County undersheriff Jeff Hallock said.
The said it would provide an additional update on the investigation into the shooting later Monday afternoon. Authorities are investigating why the alleged gunman targeted the church, and whether it might be considered a hate crime.
It’s also unclear whether the suspected gunman has any connections to the church.
The church shooting was one of several to rock the US over the weekend. In Buffalo, New York, an 18-year-old gunman opened fire in a supermarket, killing 10 and wounding three in what officials say was a racially motivated act of hate.
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