A 68-year-old Las Vegas man has been identified as the suspect who opened fire inside an Orange County church Sunday, killing one person and wounding five others, according to Reuters in an article posted by Yahoo News.
Suspect David Chou has been charged with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder with bail set at $1 million, News Channel 3 (KESQ) reports.
Authorities said bravery stopped Chou from continuing his attack, as demonstrated by those of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods who intervened before police arrived. According to KESQ, a pastor hit the gunman on the head with a chair and others hog-tied him with electrical cords.
“That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery in intervening to stop the suspect,” Undersheriff Jeff Hallock of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said in an AP article posted by KESQ. “They undoubtedly prevented additional injuries and fatalities. I think it’s safe to say that had people not intervened, it could have been much worse.”
The Reuters article reports that Chou allegedly opened fire during a lunch banquet and those injured included four Asian men, ages 66 to 92, and an 86-year-old Asian woman. Killed in the attack was Dr. John Cheng, 52, a sports medicine doctor who leaves behind a wife and two children, the KESQ article said.
In a KESQ interview, parishioner Jerry Chen said that 40 congregants had gathered in the fellowship hall for lunch in celebration of Pastor Bill Chang’s return. Chang had served the church for 20 years and just returned from Taiwan after living there for two years, the article said.
As for motive for the shooting, KESQ reports that Chou, of Chinese descent, was greatly upset by his treatment while residing in Taiwan. A federal hate crimes investigation is underway, the article said.
