Shooting at a church in Laguna Woods, California, leaves one dead and four seriously injured

A shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, Southern California, left one dead and four seriously injured, according to Orange County police.

A fifth person had minor injuries and all the people attacked are adults, according to the authorities.

Police sources reported that the suspect, an adult male, was arrested. Several units of the fire brigade are at the scene treating the victims. Authorities also reported that they had recovered at least two weapons from the crime scene.

At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Deputy Sheriff Jeff Hallock said the suspected shooter was an Asian man in his 60s. “The parishioners [who were present at the time of the attack] displayed exceptional courage and heroism in stepping in to apprehend the suspect.”

The authorities detailed that it was the same members of the congregation who managed to reduce the attacker before the police arrived, who found him tied up.

The shooting began around 1:26 pm local time, according to the sheriff’s office report. About 30 people witnessed the violence, said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. Most of the people inside the church are of Taiwanese descent, she added.

Officers responding to the scene also include federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Laguna Woods is a town of about 18,000 people located 50 miles southwest of Los Angeles, of which 80% are over 65 years old. Many of the residents live in Laguna Woods Village, a large community for seniors.

The office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said on his Twitter account that he is closely following the details. “No one should be afraid to go to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, the community, and everyone who has been affected by this tragic event,” the tweet said.

Congresswoman Katie Porter, from California’s 45th District (which includes Laguna Woods), said, “This shouldn’t be the new normal.”

The shooting comes a day after the attack at a Buffalo supermarket that left at least 10 people dead.

A shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, left 10 dead and three wounded, Buffalo Police Department Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia confirmed at a news conference. The attack is being investigated as a hate crime. Credit: Joshua Bessex/AP

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said at the press conference that it was “a hate crime” committed in an area with predominantly black residents, so it will be investigated by different agencies as a violent act with racist motivations.Credit: Joshua Bessex/AP