A person of Taiwanese descent died and four others were seriously injured in a shooting at a church in California on Sunday, according to police and authorities in Taipei, the day after a shooting in New York state that left ten dead. The church is located in the town of Laguna Woods, 70 kilometers southwest of Los Angeles. Parishioners were attending a banquet after the morning church service when the shooter opened fire, authorities said.
They then arrested the shooter and “tied his legs with an extension cord and confiscated at least two weapons”before police arrived on the scene to subdue him, Orange County Deputy Chief Jeff Hallock said at a news conference.
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“This group of faithful has shown (…) exceptional heroism and bravery”said Jeff Hallock. “They have undoubtedly avoided additional injuries and deaths”.
The arrested shooter
Investigators are still looking for a motive, he added, adding that the alleged shooter, who was not injured in the incident, is believed to be an adult male of Asian origin with a sixty years. “Four people are seriously injured”wrote the police on his Twitter account, adding that a “victim died at the scene” de l’incident.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported five injuries, and indicated that the victims were of Taiwanese origin. “Our representative office in Los Angeles immediately verified with local police and other authorities that one dead and five injured are all of Taiwanese origin”the ministry said in a statement.
An emergency call was received at 1:26 p.m. local time from the Geneva Presbyterian Church on Sunday afternoon, according to law enforcement. “We arrested a person and recovered a weapon that could be involved” in crime, the sheriff’s department had said in a tweet.
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“Devastating and disturbing news”
The police are now trying to shed light on this new shooting with the 30 to 40 witnesses present in the church, she also said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said it is working with local officials and monitoring the situation.
“No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims.”his office tweeted.
“This is shocking and disturbing news, especially less than a day after a mass shooting in Buffalo”tweeted Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter, who represents Orange County in Washington. “This shouldn’t be our new normal”.