Orange County church shooting suspect charged with murder, 9 other counts

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (TCD) -- A 68-year-old Las Vegas man faces murder and several other charges for allegedly opening fire at a church, killing one person and injuring five others.

On Sunday, May 15, at 1:26 p.m., Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a call about a man with a gun at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods. When they arrived, deputies learned the churchgoers "detained the suspect by tackling him, then tying his legs with extension cords." Officials retrieved two firearms at the scene.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office later identified the suspect as David Chou of Las Vegas. The shooting broke out as the congregants gathered at the church for a luncheon honoring a pastor who was recently in Taiwan. Sixty-two-year-old Dr. John Cheng tackled Chou when he allegedly opened fire, but he was fatally struck. Cheng reportedly attended the luncheon with his mother.

The Sheriff’s Department alleges Chou "secured the doors to the building with chains and placed superglue into the keyholes" before opening fire. As they searched throughout the church, investigators found bags containing extra ammunition, Molotov cocktails, and incendiary devices.

According to the statement, Chou was "upset about political tensions involving China and Taiwan."

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer charged Chou with one count of murder, five counts of premeditated attempted murder, four counts of possession of an explosive device, and felony enhancements of lying in wait and personal discharge of a firearm causing death.

The five other victims who were shot are all expected to survive. The victims, all Asian, include an 86-year-old female, and four males ages 66, 75, 82, and 92.

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