05.15.2022 | 1:26 PM | LAGUNA WOODS – A gunman opened fire inside a church killing one person and injuring five others before being taken into custody, Sunday evening.
The gunfire erupted in the Geneva Presbyterian Church, located in the 24300 block of El Toro Road, during a lunch banquet sometime around 1:26 PM.
When deputies arrived they located multiple adult gunshot victims and a a male suspect who had been detained by church congregants using extension cords.
Firefighter paramedics pronounced one victim deceased at the scene and transported five others to area hospitals for treatment.
Four of the five victims, all described as Asian adults, were in critical, but stable, condition. All of the victims were elderly with their ages ranging from 66 to 92-years.
The deceased victim was not immediately identified pending identification and notification of next-of-kin.
The suspect, who was described only as an Asian man in his 60s, was evaluated by paramedics at the scene before being booked into the Orange County Jail. Authorities said they did not believe the suspect lived in the area although his connections with church were still being investigated.
It was unclear what motivated the deadly shooting and authorities from multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation.
Two firearms were recovered from the scene, according to authorities.
At least a portion of the incident was captured on a livestream of the congregation’s service but that video was quickly removed.
Anyone with information regarding the incident was urged to contact the Orange County Crime Stoppers by calling (855) TIP-OCCS or by visiting their website at www.occrimestoppers.org.