One person was killed and five others injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree inside the Geneva Presbyterian Church at Laguna Woods in southern California on Sunday afternoon. The police have arrested one person and recovered two handguns from the scene.
The church shooting comes a day after 10 people were killed and several others injured after a man wearing a military uniform opened fire inside a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The gunman, who live-streamed the shooting, was later identified as Payton Gendron.
Church Goers Hogtied the Suspect using Extension Cord
In the shooting incident which took place on Sunday afternoon, an emergency call was made to the sheriff's office around 1:26 p.m. PT. Addressing a press conference, orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock revealed that the churchgoers contained the shooter by hogtying him using an extension cord and confiscating the weapon. Dubbing the church goers as the ones who displayed "exceptional heroism and bravery," Hallock said the action resulted in limited casualties.
Fox News reported that 30 to 40 people, mostly comprising Taiwanese, were inside the church when the fatal shooting started. It was also reported that the police recovered two handguns from the scene.
Later, in a tweet, California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said that no one should have to fear going to their place of worship. "We are actively monitoring the shooting at a church in Laguna Woods and working closely with local law enforcement," his office tweeted. "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."
Who is Laguna Woods Shooter ?
Muswell Brook Chronicle reported that the shooter was identified as an Asian man in his 60s. The police said that the motive for the shooting was not immediately known.
Stating that the investigators believe that the gunman lived in the community, Hallock said it was not known if the assailant attended the church service or was known to its members before going on the shooting spree.
Social media was also rife with chatter surrounding the ethnicity of the shooting suspect. "The Laguna Woods shooting was trending number one on twitter until it was announced that the shooter wasn't white. As soon as it was announced that the shooter was Asian Laguna Woods disappeared of the trending list in a matter of mins. Share spread the word!!!" tweeted a user.
"And now the Laguna Woods, CA shooting is Asian on Asian crime. The point remains the same. People of all races and backgrounds do this. It's only when whites do it that the Democratic Party, the media, and other leftists like celebrities seem to care. Evil comes in all forms," wrote another.
"And btw the Laguna Woods shooter is Asian. So, not likely a hate crime. The Buffalo shooter made his motivation explicit. He broadcasted it near and far. We don't know the motivation of the Laguna Woods shooter," opined a user.
