Orange County law enforcement said Monday that the suspect in a shooting at a church in Laguna Woods, Calif., on Sunday engaged in a “politically motivated hate crime” against Taiwanese people.
The shooting on Sunday left one dead and five injured at a church whose congregants are Taiwanese. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect on Monday as David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas, Nev., in a Twitter post.
Chou has been jailed and “booked on one felony count of murder and five felony counts of attempted murder,” the post stated.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes told reporters at a press conference on Monday that the suspect was motivated by “tensions” between China and Taiwan. Barnes said the suspect is a U.S. citizen who immigrated from China.
“Based on information we have collected… [this] was a politically motivated hate incident, a grievance that this individual had between himself and the Taiwanese community at large,” Barnes said. “It is believed the suspect involved was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan.”
Orange County, CA Sheriff Don Barnes says the Taiwanese church shooting suspect — an American who emigrated from China — was "upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan." pic.twitter.com/FSS4qmjElu
— The Recount (@therecount) May 16, 2022
Dr. John Cheng, 52, was identified as the deceased victim of the shooting. Authorities said Cheng charged at the suspect, which allowed other congregants to help neutralize the shooter.
“Dr. Cheng is a hero in this incident,” Barnes said at the press conference.
The shooting occurred during services for the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which does not have its own building but conducts services at the Geneva Presbyterian Church.
China considers the island of Taiwan as part of its territory, and Chinese jets have repeatedly buzzed Taiwanese airspace over the past several years.