Laguna Woods in California
One dead, five injured: Man shoots around in church, worshipers wrestle him down
Investigators outside the church in Laguna Woods
© Leonard Ortiz/The Orange County Register/AP/DPA
A gunman suddenly opened fire in a church in Laguna Woods, California, over the weekend. One person died, but the heroic efforts of some creditors prevented worse.
Another bloody attack has taken place in the United States. In Laguna Woods, California, a town of about 16,000 people, a gunman stormed into a church during a service and shot himself. He killed one person and injured five others.
A shock for the residents of the small town near Los Angeles – but apparently there could have been many more victims. The fact that this did not happen is thanks to the courageous intervention of some churchgoers. They overpowered the attacker, took away his gun and tied his legs with extension cords before police arrived at the scene. “It’s safe to say the situation could have been a lot worse had they not intervened,” the sheriff said at a news conference.
California: attack in a Taiwanese church
“We think the group of worshipers showed exceptional courage,” the sheriff said, adding that the people involved were “heroes.”
The attack took place in a Taiwanese church while the congregation was having lunch together, writes the Los Angeles Times. There were 30 to 40 people in the building. According to witness reports, the alleged perpetrator is said to be a man of Asian descent who does not live in the area. Community members had greeted him warmly. But then the perpetrator locked the door so that no one could escape and opened fire.
Pastor attacked the shooter
“He just shot around randomly,” a witness told the Los Angeles Times. “I saw some people fall or hide under the table.” According to the man, the pastor attacked the perpetrator with a chair when he tried to reload his gun. A group of other men then jumped on him and overpowered him. The shooter was arrested, his motive is still unclear. The five injured were taken to the hospital, one person died at the scene from gunshot wounds.
A day earlier, an attack in Chicago had shaken the United States. A gunman opened fire in a supermarket and shot dead ten mostly black people. He streamed the act live on the Internet. According to investigators, he acted out of racist motives.
Sources: Orange County Sheriff’s Department / “Los Angeles Times”