Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
John Cheng, a prominent Orange County physician, was killed in a mass shooting that occurred this Sunday in Laguna Woods and is highlighted as a hero after he attempted to disarm the attacker, an action that allowed other parishioners to subdue the suspect.
Orange County Sheriff Donald Barnes said that Cheng, who specializes in sports medicine, did not hesitate to go after the attacker when the shots fired inside the Geneva Presbyterian Churcha, on El Toro Road.
HERO DOCTOR: Dr. John Cheng of Orange County is being hailed a hero for tackling the gunman involved in a church shooting in Laguna Woods. “Without the actions of Dr. Cheng, it is no doubt that there would be numerous additional victims in this crime.” 🙏🏼 https://t.co/VO7TTW5F2z pic.twitter.com/fUXl7SjtuE
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 07, 1240715552
“Without Dr. Cheng’s actions, there is no question that there would be numerous additional victims in this crime,” Barnes said.
Related: Asian man from 68 years was the attacker in the shooting that left one dead and 5 wounded in Laguna Woods church
The Sheriff mentioned that, according to witnesses, Cheng went directly to the suspect, identified as David Chou, a Las Vegas resident, of 68 years, and shot it down.
MUG SHOT: David Chou secured the doors and tried to super glue the locks so the victims could not leave, officials said. He also strategically placed two bags inside the church – one contained Molotov cocktails and the other had extra magazines and ammo. https://t.co/YJqxLS58wv pic.twitter.com/fG4aFArkqU
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 16, 1240715552
A group of parishioners intervened to help Cheng, using items inside the church to stop Chou , who was finally tied by the legs with an extension cord.
During the fight, Cheng was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting.
Cheng was 52 years old and left behind a wife and 2 children.
“After others were shot, he took it upon himself to cross the room and do his best to stop the assailant. He was shot and then there was another attempt to shoot him, but the gun jammed and he succumbed to his injuries,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
Chou was booked for one felony murder and 5 felony attempted murder.
He is in custody on a $1 million dollar bond.
The authorities said that the shooting was a politically motivated hate incident and is now being investigated as a hate crime.
Barnes said that Chou, a US citizen originally from China, was motivated by anger over political tensions between China and Taiwan.
That anger pushed him to travel to southern California from Las Vegas, where he lives alone and worked in security.
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