Updated: 11am (AEST)
Laguna Woods, California, US
AP
Police say churchgoers detained the gunman who shot multiple people Sunday at a California church, calling their intervention an act of “exceptional heroism and bravery”.
Police say the suspect in the shooting is an Asian male in his 60s who investigators do not believe lives in the community.
A firetruck is seen outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, on Sunday, 15th May after a fatal shooting. PICTURE: Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP.
The shooting occurred during a lunch banquet after a morning service in the church. It was earlier reported that one person was killed and four others were critically wounded in the shooting.
Police say by the time they arrived on the scene the parishioners had the man hog-tied and in custody.
“I think it’s safe to say that had people not intervened, it could have been much worse,” Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock says.
“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,” Hallock says.
The shooting was reported shortly before 1:30pm at Geneva Presbyterian Church in the city of Laguna Woods, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said on Twitter.
A man died at the scene and a fifth injured person suffered minor injuries, officials said. All the victims were adults.
Deputies detained a suspect, an adult male, and recovered a weapon, officials said.
About 30 people witnessed the violence, said Carrie Braun, a sheriff’s spokesperson. The majority of those inside the church are believed to be of Taiwanese descent, Braun said.
Investigators were looking at many factors, including whether the bloodshed could be a hate crime and whether the gunman was known to the church community, Braun said.
The gunfire erupted during a lunch reception honoring a former pastor of a Taiwanese congregation that has services at Geneva, according to a statement from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos, a church administrative body.
“Please keep the leadership of the Taiwanese congregation and Geneva in your prayers as they care for the those traumatized by this shooting,” the presbytery’s Tom Cramer said in a statement on Facebook.
Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were responding to the scene. The FBI was also sending agents to the scene to assist the sheriff.
Investigators gather outside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, Calif., on Sunday, 15th May, after a fatal shooting. PICTURE: Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register via AP.
Laguna Woods was built as a senior living community and later became a city. More than 80 per cent of residents in the city of 18,000 people about 80 kilometres south-east of Los Angeles are at least 65.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said on Twitter that he was closely monitoring the situation.
“No-one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event,” the tweet said.
The incident occurred in an area with a cluster of houses of worship, including Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist churches and a Jewish synagogue.
On its website, Geneva Presbyterian Church describes its mission as “to remember, tell, and live the way of Jesus by being just, kind, and humble.”
“All are welcome here. Really, we mean that! … Geneva aspires to be an inclusive congregation worshipping, learning, connecting, giving and serving together.”
The shooting came a day after an 18-year-old man shot and killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
“This is upsetting and disturbing news, especially less than a day after a mass shooting in Buffalo,” said US Representative Katie Porter, whose district includes Laguna Woods. “This should not be our new normal. I will work hard to support the victims and their families.”
