Jeffrey Scott Brown was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He was pardoned by Trump after he was inaugurated for a second term in January. The Republican Club of Laguna Woods invited Brown to speak at a meeting Friday at a Laguna Woods community clubhouse, billing him as a “victim of the Jan. 6 tragedy.” The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. The Laguna Woods Democratic Club is planning a vigil and a rally to protest Brown’s appearance at the meeting and in the community. “I know that this man has spoken at other venues and was quite animated,” Mary Ribando, president of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club, said. The vigil is planned to start at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Gate 7 of the Laguna Woods Village on El Toro Road across the street from Stater Bros. market. A protest is then planned in the parking lot of Clubhouse 5 in the Laguna Woods Village, the site of the meeting. Brown, 58, of Santa Ana, was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies, among them assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, using a dangerous weapon and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. Prosecutors said he took pepper spray from a police officer and then used it on Capitol Police during the Jan. 6 melee. After his conviction in December 2022, Brown started his prison sentence in April 2023 and was released from a federal correctional facility in Lompoc after serving time in 11 prisons. During his trial, Brown called himself a political prisoner. The Republican Club highlights Brown’s achievements as an Eagle Scout with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an FAA commercial pilot license. Pat Micone, the president of the Republican Club of Laguna Woods, denied a request by City News Service to be interviewed. She said in an email response, “Our Governing [Board of Directors] has decided to not allow press nor an interview.” Ribando said she was contacted by a number of Democratic groups who were “incensed about the idea of celebrating this man.” “Everyone saw what happened on Jan. 6 and people who say they didn’t see it, I don’t know, they must live under a rock,” Ribando said. “It’s demeaning to hear people play it down. It was an appalling sight. It was an embarrassment for us as a country. We weren’t planning anything inside until we got pushback from residents who said it’s not enough to do it outside. We want to be inside, show them that we’re not happy with them coming into our space with this person.” Ribando said she contacted the administration of the Laguna Woods Village about how they disagreed with the decision to allow Brown to speak at the Republican Club meeting. Ribando said she was told that the clubs are independent and they have autonomy from the Village administration. Each club and its members have freedom of speech. In response, Ribando told the Village administration the Democratic Club was going to protest the event at the clubhouse. Village security and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are aware of the planned protests. Ribando told her club members the gathering needs “to be a quiet, respectful and peaceful vigil. No confrontation.” City News Service is the nation’s largest regional wire service and is headquartered in Los Angeles. News Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map 2025 at 2:55 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A Laguna Woods man was arrested on suspicion of multiple incidents of indecent exposure the Orange County Sheriff's Department reported (Orange County Sheriff's Department Courtesy Photo)LAGUNA WOODS CA — A Laguna Woods man was arrested on suspicion of multiple incidents of indecent exposure the Orange County Sheriff's Department reported after multiple elderly victims reported the incidents to Laguna Woods security personnel earlier this month Perri used his white convertible Ford Mustang to follow his victims to their homes He would make note of the location before returning to later expose himself to the victims Perri was booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of indecent exposure Investigators believe there may be additional victims and anyone with information was asked to call the Orange County Sheriff's Department Special Victims Detail at 714-647-7419 or 714-647-7000 Anonymous tips can be reported by calling OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. OC Sheriff’s investigators seek additional victims after arrest  CA – Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on Tuesday Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victim’s Detail (SVD) investigators arrested Robert Mario Perri in connection with multiple incidents of indecent exposure SVD investigators were notified of multiple incidents of indecent exposure in Laguna Woods Multiple elderly victims reported the incidents to Laguna Woods security personnel and three victims filed formal reports with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department SVD investigators identified the suspect and discovered Perri used his white convertible Ford Mustang to follow his victims to their residence He would then return to the residence and expose himself to the victims later SVD Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Detail at (714)-647- 7419 or (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips can be sent to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at www.occrimestoppers.org.  Source & photos: Orange County Sheriff’s Department Robert Mario Perri, 66, was booked into Orange County Jail on Tuesday on suspicion of indecent exposure, according to a department statement. The sheriff’s special victims detail received formal reports this month from three women detailing alleged instances of indecent exposure. However, several other incidents also have been reported to security personnel at the Laguna Woods retirement community, authorities said. Robert Mario Perri, 66, was booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of indecent exposure, authorities say. (Orange County Sheriff’s Department) The three who submitted formal reports to the Sheriff’s Department were all older women, Lt. Matt Timmins told The Times on Thursday. The incidents occurred inside and outside their houses, he said. The majority of the city of Laguna Woods consists of Laguna Woods Village, a private, gated retirement community. California Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Anthony Romero, 28, with one count of burglary and one count of indecent exposure and illegal entry on Tuesday. Investigators allege that Perri followed victims to their homes in a white Ford Mustang convertible, and later returned to expose himself to them. Perri does not have a prior criminal record, Timmins said. Authorities are not providing details about an indecent exposure case at a Chick-fil-A restaurant involving the Ventura city attorney Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone who may have information can call the Sheriff’s Department special victims unit at (714) 647-7419 or (714) 647-7000. Tips can be reported anonymously to Orange County Crime Stoppers by phone, (855) 847-6227, or online. Kaitlyn Huamani is a reporting fellow at the Los Angeles Times. She previously interned with The Times’ Entertainment and Arts section and with the entertainment section at the Associated Press. She also interned at People Magazine as a part of the American Society of Magazine Editors’ internship program. A New Jersey native, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in journalism. World & Nation 2025 at 10:10 am PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A Jan 6 insurrectionist who was pardoned by President Donald Trump will speak in Laguna Woods Friday at a local Republican club Friday one of the first three men to be convicted for assaulting police during the Jan will be the key speaker at the March 7 monthly luncheon of the Republican Club of Laguna Woods 6 and offer "updates on his court case and pardon," according to the club The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m Brown was described by the club as a patriot and a "victim of the January 6 tragedy." The Laguna Woods Democratic Club is planning a vigil and a rally to protest Brown's appearance at the meeting and in the community "I know that this man has spoken at other venues and was quite animated," Mary Ribando president of the Laguna Woods Democratic Club The vigil is planned to start at 10:30 a.m Friday at Gate 7 of the Laguna Woods Village on El Toro Road across the street from Stater Bros A protest is then planned in the parking lot of Clubhouse 5 in the Laguna Woods Village was found guilty in federal court of seven felonies resisting or impeding law enforcement officers and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder Prosecutors said he took pepper spray from a police officer and then used it on Capitol Police during the Jan Brown started his prison sentence in April 2023 and was released from a federal correctional facility in Lompoc after serving time in 11 prisons The Republican Club highlights Brown's achievements as an Eagle Scout with a bachelor's degree in business administration and an FAA commercial pilot license the president of the Republican Club of Laguna Woods denied a request by City News Service to be interviewed "Our Governing (Board of Directors) has decided to not allow press nor an interview." Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach are planning to attend the vigil outside the Laguna Woods Village and the clubhouse on El Toro Road Ribando said she was contacted by a number of groups who were "incensed about the idea of celebrating this man." they must live under a rock," Ribando said "It's demeaning to hear people play it down It was an embarrassment for us as a country We weren't planning anything inside until we got pushback from residents who said it's not enough to do it outside show them that we're not happy with them coming into our space with this person." Ribando said she contacted the administration of the Laguna Woods Village about how they disagreed with the decision to allow Brown to speak at the Republican Club meeting Ribando said she was told that the clubs are independent and they have autonomy from the Village administration Each club and its members have freedom of speech Ribando told the Village administration the Democratic Club was going to protest the event at the clubhouse Village security and the Orange County Sheriff's Department are aware of the planned protests Ribando told her club members the gathering needs "to be a quiet City News Service contributed to this report Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 1:50 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}At 3:30 p.m Irvine police arrived at the parking structure exit at 100 Spectrum Center Drive CA — A Laguna Woods man was killed at Irvine Spectrum Center's parking garage Thursday after becoming wedged between his car door and a parking apparatus Karie Davies of the Irvine Police Department "Arriving officers found the man wedged between the partially open driver's side door and his Mazda SUV "Based on witness statements and video obtained at the scene the driver approached the security exit gate and stopped to pay," she said " It appears the driver did not place his Mazda SUV into the park gear because the vehicle began to move forward when the driver was outside the car "The open driver's door made contact with parking equipment causing the driver's door to close on the man," Davies said "He became trapped between the door and the vehicle and could not free himself." Police officers and Orange County Fire Authority firefighters worked to save the man The case remained under investigation by the Major Accident Investigation Team Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Print With shoulder-length blond hair Jennifer Rose cuts a preacherly silhouette — less Bible-thumping more New Age — standing on a small stage in the retirement community of Laguna Woods Village “There’s a lot of spirit here already,” she says “So I hope you’re starting to feel that too she is not talking about something metaphoric or symbolic; there’s nothing gauzy in this invocation The room holds onto her words with reverence “Connecting with your loved ones is a passion of mine,” she says “I get to make friends every time I do it — over there and over here.” A few late arrivals find the last remaining seats in the clubhouse. Nearly 80 in total, they have come here on a gray Saturday morning for a reading, as has been practiced in America going back to at least 1849 when the Fox sisters, Kate and Maggie, packed a hall in Rochester for a public demonstration of spiritualism Rose, a self-described spiritual evidential psychic medium and spiritual healer, is considered by many in the room as one of the best, and they should know. They are the members of the Life After Life Club one of the many social clubs in the Orange County community once known as Leisure World whose majority of residents are in their mid-70s For almost 20 years, they have gathered to learn about the healing power of UFOs, trance channeling, the power of animal communication and near-death experiences. Their sessions are recorded, and their YouTube channel has almost 30,000 subscribers with more than 3.5 million visitors This day they have assembled to hear what the dead have to say to the living and a little later Rose will attempt to communicate with the dead Her lecture is called “Lessons from the Spirit World,” and for those who are of an age when grief loss and their own mortality are near and prevalent But some still believe — or hope — and remain willing to consider the allure of seances, Ouija boards, communications beyond the grave. “What happens when we pass over?” Rose asks. “As a medium, I bring a lot of people together in reuniting, and I deliver a lot of apologies too.” Audience members ask questions about the afterlife and connecting with deceased loved ones, including pets. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Whether the dead actually speak to the living may not be the point. What matters more is the burden the living carry, the grief, the hurt, the guilt and regret — all that we’ve done, all that we hadn’t done. For those willing to receive the message, Rose’s presence and words are balm, and the dead apparently are happy to oblige. They are, it seems, sorry for the hurt, pain or neglect they might have caused, and they hope they’ll be forgiven. “They have no problem at all taking responsibility for what they have done in this lifetime. It is much harder for us to do that,” Rose continues. Flanked by two bamboo plants, standing behind a lectern, she speaks without notes or props. Her claim on this knowledge is helped by the faith that her audience has experienced enough love and loss for a message of hope to take hold. Her voice and charm draw the audience close. Documentary director Lana Wilson moves on from profiles of Taylor Swift and Brooke Shields to a handful of New York City psychics, themselves looking to bond. One woman, who doesn’t want to give her name, confides that she’d like to hear from her brother, who recently died. They were close, she says, until his last year when he “lost his mind to cirrhosis” and they fell apart. She’d like to believe they could patch things up. Another woman, also wishing anonymity, describes herself as a believer, and says she has been “studying death since she was 27.” She’d like to stay and talk afterwards, but needs to get home to her husband who is ill and may be in his final days. Rose delivers her lessons, which are filled with such positivity — you continue on, the soul is infinite, everyone is forgiven, you are perfect the way you are — that only a die-hard cynic would take them apart. “Our time here, while it may feel long, it’s just like that. It’s a split second,” Rose says, “and what we take with us when we pass over to that place is love and our memories.” One woman raises her hand with a story and a question. Her husband, she said, passed almost five years ago, and the first year she felt him constantly. “The TV came on. The lights came on. We’d start talking, and the clock would go crazy. But then after a year and a half, I woke up and I almost felt him pull from me, and he was gone. Do they move on after so long?” Rose alights upon the question. “That’s a gift that you got all that,” she says. “I love all that stuff,” the knocks and taps, the banging on walls, the sudden changes of temperature in a room. She doesn’t believe in negative spirits. All she’s experienced is “pure, unconditional, extreme love.” She attributes his sudden departure to the questioner’s healing and need for new experiences. “But that doesn’t mean he can’t return,” she says. Across the room another question comes up. “If we are in a stage of prolonged grief, will that affect the person who’s passed on — in their own development, their soul development?” “That’s a good question,” Rose says. “Thank you.” Death does not loosen the ties of our relationships, she says. If anything, they grow stronger, more loving and generous. Those who have died still care for us, she says, and try to provide healing. “They want us to feel joy,” she says. “But still, grief takes as long as it takes. It is a sacred process.” As the questions draw to a close, Rose shifts to the main event: time now to see just how buzzy this room is. No one gets up to leave. “OK,” she says, shaking her head and her shoulders like an athlete being called up by the coach. “I’m just going to get in that power mode here.” “I feel drawn to the lady in the green cap in the back here,” she says. “Hello.” Valerie Young-Williams, 82, nods. She just finished treatment for cancer and wears a green beanie to hide her hair loss. “Is it OK if I work with you? Are you OK?” Sensitive, empathetic, Rose proceeds carefully, mindful of how intimate these vulnerable moments can become. Valerie nods tentatively and begins to cry. She is accompanied by her sister, Diane Young, who sits beside her. Valerie had hoped that her husband, David, might show up. They were married for 35 years. He died almost two years ago. “Part of the reason you’re feeling emotional right now is because there’s spirit here,” says Rose, asking if anyone has a tissue to spare. A woman nearby finds her one. Diane, 77, had seen Rose before and was impressed by her readings, divining certain aspects of her life that Rose could not have known. Now Rose is sensing someone, but it’s not David. It’s a father or a father figure drawing near. “It could be a stepdad or a father-in-law or somebody who is like a father,” Rose says. “I don’t always get that perfect distinction, but I do feel a father figure for you coming in.” The sisters nod, and soon Rose confirms their father — Kenneth George Young — is with them. Contact with spirit, as Rose describes it, is like experiencing “a high frequency of love.” She calls the sensation “sitting in power,” and like a mediation, it requires a quiet mind, a calm body, time, dedication and perseverance “so you feel spirit’s love.” Then she develops the connection, enough to convince the sisters that Kenneth is here. “And do you understand, either symbolically or literally, a connection to a boat? Because that’s one of the first visuals I’m getting. So, any love of boats or near the water or something like that?” The women nod. Kenneth, who died in 2006 at the age of 97, loved the ocean very much, they say. “We grew up in front of the ocean.” Rose works with this. In these moments, she says she sees, feels, hears and is made aware of “things” for which she must be a translator. “That you were able to pick that up that quickly means we’re connected right now,” she says. “The three of us — you, me and dad — are all connected.” But Valerie is looking for her husband. Only Rose can’t be sure if he’s there. Kenneth, however, comes across more clearly: his personality — protective (“standing behind you, placing his hands on your shoulders”) — and even his love for board games, played during the summer “when you had all the time in the world.” Rose describes his briefcase. The sisters recognize it; he carried it to work each day. “He does feel fairly good with numbers and figures. He’s got that kind of analytical mind.” “He was kind of pull-your-bootstraps-up, kind of keep-moving-forward kind of man, too. Because he feels very purpose driven: I get up, I go to work, I take care of my family, I do this. He’s a very hardworking, ethical man.” Psychics, tarot readers and astrologers say scammers are cloning their Instagram accounts and soliciting payments from their followers for faux readings. Working in Rose’s favor is the desire for death not to be final and for this moment to be real, so that close enough is close enough. In Valerie and Diane, Rose has found two allies. Adherents of the Baháʼí faith, they believe this world is but a shadow of a spiritual world, which is more brilliant, more dimensional, a place where the soul goes but is never very far away, a place that can’t be described with language. “I see bottles of medication and things that he had. Do you understand this?” The sisters are puzzled but find the answer. David, not Kenneth, was ill before he died, they say. He must now be here. “It feels like they tried to treat him this way, and then they tried to treat him that way,” she says. “And I still feel like there are some questions. Had we done this differently, would we have had more time?” “Because I hear him say, ‘Baby, no. It was my time to go. You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t make a mistake.’” Valerie eases into the chair where she sits, the relief so great, as if the guilt and misgivings she felt over David’s final months had just washed away. She thought he would be angry with her for not coping well during that time. She felt unworthy of his love, but now sees it differently. “There’s still grief that’s being worked out,” says Rose, who now sees Kenneth again. He wants the sisters to stay close. They nod they will. He’s smiling. In fact, he’s humming. He used to sing in college, they tell her. “That’s why I’m getting so much music,” Rose says. Kenneth is showing her, Rose says, what music in the spirit world is like: notes beyond notes, sounds beyond sounds, colors and notes blending together. “It’s very beautiful, very harmonic convergence of light and sound that have come together, as dad is showing it to me. It’s super cool,” she says. But then Rose senses it’s time to end their communication. “Dad’s very polite,” she says. “He wants to make room for a few other communicators to come in. But I leave you with love from dad and from your beautiful husband too. He really is always around you.” Rose shifts her focus. “Let me see whom I’m drawn to now.” Thomas Curwen is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times who specialized in long-form narratives. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2008 for feature writing. Lifestyle Climate & Environment Entertainment & Arts Log in to leave a comment He had spent two decades pastoring the Laguna Woods congregation before moving to Taiwan two years ago. And on Sunday morning, he was back — joyfully so — as a guest preacher reading the word of God once again in a place that felt like home. Chang, 67, knew almost all the faces in the pews. They were mostly elderly, mostly Taiwanese. They were like family. In the crowd was one stranger, but no one gave him much thought. He was an older Asian man with gray hair. He wore a black T-shirt and sat in the back of the sanctuary, reading a newspaper throughout the sermon. A gunman attacked a lunch banquet at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods killing one person and wounding five others Sunday before congregants tackled him hogtied him with an extension cord and grabbed his two weapons Chang read from the Book of Isaiah: Even youths grow tired and weary But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary 2022An earlier version of this article included an extra word in a quote from the Bible’s Book of Isaiah saying that those who hope in the Lord “will not run and not grow weary.” It should have said About three hours later the parishioners would have to find that strength to save their own lives when the stranger locked them in the auditorium and pulled out a gun The Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church never had a permanent home. It was started in 1994 with about 30 worshipers using borrowed space in another church in Irvine always nesting within other houses of worship it settled at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods to accommodate its aging members many of whom lived in the nearby Laguna Woods Village retirement community designed to tolerate frequent flyovers from the former El Toro Marine Base “The church is a place you go to for comfort You go there for spiritual renewal,” said Yorba Linda City Councilwoman Peggy Huang whose parents are members of the Taiwanese Presbyterian congregation A grief counselor comforts a parishioner after a man opened fire on the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Although it was itinerant Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian had about 100 members and a dedicated leader in Chang who pastored the church for 21 years before moving to Taiwan in 2020 to head a congregation there The Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian attendees worship in their native language — not Mandarin but Taiwanese a dialect that was once suppressed by the Kuomintang regime which ruled under martial law from 1949 to 1987 “Our church is very kind,” said Jerry Chen Just after 10 a.m., a receptionist greeted the man in the black T-shirt. The receptionist, speaking Taiwanese, asked him to fill out a form with his personal information, a standard request for visitors to Presbyterian churches. The man, who also spoke Taiwanese, refused. He said he had attended two services there in the past and had already filled out the form, according to a statement from the church. David Wenwei Chou’s wife had relocated to Taiwan during a divorce He’d sold the Vegas building he lived in and couldn’t afford rent He told the receptionist his name was “Da-Wei Chou,” took a church-provided Chinese-language newspaper focused on Taiwanese news He was a 68-year-old security guard from Las Vegas whose life was falling apart His wife left for Taiwan in December to seek treatment for lung cancer and to leave him for good according to a former next-door neighbor in Las Vegas Chou was evicted from the stucco fourplex he once owned “He was just a homeless old man,” the neighbor ‘I just don’t care about my life anymore.’” The tenants who moved into his vacated unit, Orellana said, found photos of him posing with a gun, including one that appeared to have been taken at a memorial to a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas Orellana didn’t know if Chou had any radical ideology But Chou did tell Orellana that he was born in Taiwan but considered himself Chinese and strongly believed China and Taiwan were one country The churchgoers sang a hymn: Though old and poor they gathered in the separate Simpson Hall for a luncheon — a special bento with teriyaki chicken — in Chang’s honor they saw the stranger trying to lock the doors with iron chains They assumed he was a security guard for Geneva Presbyterian and he tried to nail at least one door shut a 52-year-old physician killed in Sunday’s shooting at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Chen was in the kitchen when he heard shots ring out “I heard the gun sounds,” he would recount later He saw people falling and crawling under tables and was so distraught that he couldn’t remember the church’s address or what the shooter looked like Pastor Chang didn’t know what was happening Cheng, 52, of Laguna Niguel, was not a regular attendee, but he was a dutiful son. When Cheng saw the man shooting elders, he jumped into the line of fire. Churchgoers said he was shot three times. As the gunman paused and fidgeted with his gun — it was unclear whether he was reloading or if the weapon jammed — Chang struck him with a chair. He pushed the gunman to the floor and asked others for help. He called out to his wife to find something so they could tie the man up. She brought him some electrical cord, and he and the congregants hogtied the suspect. Prosecutors have not yet filed a hate crime sentencing enhancement against David Wenwei Chou “I don’t think he expected someone to attack him.” police officers burst through doors the suspect had nailed shut Five more parishioners had been shot and were taken to hospitals: an 86-year-old woman and four men and the church was roped off with yellow crime scene tape Investigators found additional magazines of ammunition and four Molotov cocktail-like incendiary devices at the scene. They also recovered two 9-millimeter semiautomatic handguns purchased lawfully in Las Vegas, according to an official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. When a man began shooting at the congregants — most of them elderly and Taiwanese — Dr John Cheng put himself in the line of fire Authorities have characterized the attack as a political hate crime targeting the Taiwanese community Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said investigators found notes written in Chinese that Chou left in his car in which he indicated he did not believe Taiwan should be independent from China The Orange County district attorney on Tuesday charged Chou with murder and the FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation into the shooting Chou appeared in Orange County Superior Court by audio connection on Tuesday His arraignment was postponed until June 10 Judge Cynthia Herrera ordered that Chou be held without bail The newspaper said it had sent the documents to law enforcement and would not be printing their contents. Why Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church was chosen for the attack remains a mystery, Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said. The evidence collected, he said, “could indicate that this church was just random and it could have been any other Taiwanese church.” Spitzer said he walked through the church Sunday night. “I will tell you evil was in that church yesterday,” he said during a press conference the next day. In Simpson Hall, he said, the walls were decorated with Bible verses about how we should love our neighbors. They were a poignant counterpoint to such cruelty visited upon a group of elderly people. He saw containers of popcorn left overturned. Someone left a cane on a table as they fled. Another person left a walker. Times staff writers Anh Do, Cindy Carcamo, Richard Winton, Luke Money, Jeong Park and Cindy Chang contributed to this report. Hailey Branson-Potts is a Metro reporter who joined the Los Angeles Times in 2011. She reports on a wide range of issues and people, with a special focus on communities along the coast. She grew up in the small town of Perry, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. Print A gunman attacked a lunch banquet at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods “That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery,” Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said “It’s safe to say that had they not intervened this situation could have been much worse.” The violence left the south Orange County suburb — home to the sprawling retirement community once known as Leisure World — reeling and in grief, coming a day after a racist attack at a Buffalo, N.Y., supermarket left 10 dead. Gunfire rang out at 1:26 p.m. inside Geneva Presbyterian Church in the 24000 block of El Toro Road. Between 30 and 40 congregants were attending the banquet after a morning church service. A law enforcement source said the gunman had sealed the doors to prevent parishioners escaping. A gunman attacked a lunch banquet at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods, killing one person and wounding five others Sunday before congregants tackled him, hogtied him with an extension cord and grabbed his two weapons, authorities said. The congregation had just finished eating lunch — a special bento with teriyaki chicken — and were taking photos with a pastor who was returning after two years in Taiwan when the shooting began, said Jerry Chen, 72, who was in a nearby kitchen at the time. “I heard the gun sounds,” he said. “Then I heard two or three more gunshots. He was just randomly shooting. I saw some people fall down or go under the table. I knew something was wrong. I called 911.” The pastor hit the gunman with a chair when the shooter paused to reload his weapon, Chen said, and other members of the congregation tackled him. The injured — four men ages 66, 92, 82 and 75, and an 86-year-old woman — were all Asian, officials said. All five were shot and four sustained critical injuries. The shooting at the church left one dead, five wounded and the surrounding community stunned and in mourning. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department detained the suspect, an Asian man in his 60s, and recovered two commercially available handguns from the scene, officials said. The suspect is not likely from this area, they said. A motive remains unclear, and officials said they don’t know whether the incident was hate-related. Before the service started, members had greeted the gunman — whom they had never seen before — and welcomed him. He told them he had attended services several times, but the members were doubtful because no one recognized him, Chen said. The congregants were members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which has been holding services at Geneva for 10 years. Tom Cramer, leader of the Presbytery of Los Ranchos and a former pastor at the Geneva Presbyterian Church, said the shooting happened at a lunch reception honoring the former pastor of the Taiwanese church, who is returning to Taiwan to lead a congregation there. Cramer did not know if the pastor was harmed in the shooting. “They are sisters and brothers in Christ. They have been good friends with us,” he said. “This is a shock to us that anything like this would happen.” The congregation has been active in the local Taiwanese community, holding weekly educational seminars and workshops. It’s one of the largest Taiwanese churches in the city, he said. Peggy Huang, a Yorba Linda city councilwoman, said her parents are members of the congregation. They have been in Taiwan since the beginning of the pandemic, so they weren’t there Sunday when the shooting started. “Them being stuck in Taiwan turned out to be a blessing, because they would have been there,” she said. Huang was texting members of the congregation all day to check in on them. They told her that they didn’t recognize the gunman and that they hadn’t seen him at the church before. The man opened fire as the churchgoers were taking photographs with the pastor, who was visiting from Taiwan. After the shots rang out, the pastor picked up a chair and hit the gunman with it, Huang was told. Then other members of the congregation grabbed him, Huang said. She added that many members of the church have military backgrounds. Authorities said the actions of churchgoers likely saved lives The man who was killed was in his 40s and didn’t frequently attend the church services in Laguna Woods He was a physician and was accompanying his mother The church started in 1994 at Creekside Christian Fellowship in Irvine according to a blog post from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos Many members are retired and live in Laguna Woods Village a Geneva church member and mayor pro tempore of Laguna Woods said she is “very worried about the Taiwanese being so many of the victims.” About 150 people usually attend Sunday service in Taiwanese often gathering after for a group lunch serving noodles Conners recalled when the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church joined her church years earlier “We considered it really lucky that they came to us,” she said “We have tried to be inclusive and share many activities We want to have a family-friendly ministry and be multigenerational.” Todd Spitzer said his office is working with local and federal law enforcement partners “to ensure the person responsible is held accountable.” Homicide prosecutors were on the scene “Churches are intended to be safe sanctuaries from hate and violence,” Spitzer said “That serenity was shattered this afternoon by a gunman who unleashed unspeakable violence in a house of worship.” Bi-khim Hsiao, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Washington, D.C., tweeted that she was “shocked and saddened” by the shooting. “I join the families of the victims and Taiwanese American communities in grief and pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded survivors,” she said. The violence stunned residents in the suburban south Orange County community, which is made up of predominantly senior citizens. Police closed off El Toro Road and emergency vehicles lined the street in front of the church. Many businesses around the scene shut for the day as helicopters circled overhead. Residents stood for hours on the street across from the church waiting for information. Some took photographs of the police activity, which they say is unusual in Laguna Woods. Grief counselors were ushered into the church area to talk with grieving witnesses. Investigators, including a deputy with a bloodhound, continued arriving at the scene in waves hours after the shooting. News of the shooting trickled in slowly for the faithful at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Laguna Woods, less than a mile away from the scene. At a retirement gathering for senior pastor Leland Lanz, there were somber whispers and prayers for victims. Lanz counted himself a friend and admirer of the Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh, Geneva’s pastor. “He’s wonderful and a leader of his flock,” Lanz said. “He’s a peaceful and caring man and it’s just bizarre to ever expect anything like this to happen.” Randy Hall of Los Angeles was visiting a cousin in Orange County when they heard that a friend had attended services at Geneva just before gunshots were fired. Hall’s phone rang with word that churchgoers were making food baskets for the families of victims. Others were asking for donations and for the faithful to pray. “We were heading for the beach,” Hall said as police helicopters circled overhead. “Now we’re heading to buy sympathy flowers.” Cindy Frazier, 65, was running errands when she heard the overwhelming wail of police and fire engine sirens as they raced to Geneva Presbyterian Church. At first, she thought it was a recent coastal fire flaring back up. “But it was just one after the other,” the Laguna Woods resident said of the procession of emergency vehicles. “It’s just so heartbreaking. Why? Why our community?” Hannah Fry covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times She most recently covered Orange County for The Times and has written extensively about criminal trials Fry was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara Fry came to The Times from the Daily Pilot Fry started her career as an intern at the Orange County Register Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Known as @lacrimes on Twitter, during almost 30 years at The Times he also has been part of the breaking news staff that won Pulitzers in 1998, 2004 and 2016. Laura Newberry is a former reporter with the lifestyle section at the Los Angeles Times. She wrote Group Therapy, a weekly newsletter that answers readers’ questions about mental health. She previously worked on The Times’ education team and was a staff reporter at both the Reading Eagle in Eastern Pennsylvania and MassLive in Western Massachusetts. She graduated from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and also has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Central Florida. Andrew J. Campa is a member of the Fast Break team at the Los Angeles Times, having previously covered the Eastside and San Gabriel Valley. Before, he worked at several medium and small daily newspapers and has covered education, sports and general news. He’s a proud University of Alabama (#RollTide), Cal State Fullerton and Pasadena City College alumnus. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Home       Prayers—and Action—for Buffalo and Laguna Woods The entire Georgian Court University community stands in prayer and solidarity with the city of Buffalo who were murdered during the massacre at Tops Family Market on Saturday a White supremacist and an anti-Semite,” was arrested; his act will be charged as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism another senseless shooting occurred at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods California—whose congregants are largely Taiwanese and four others were injured when the gunman opened fire during their worship service Saturday’s massacre and Sunday’s shooting remind us that our world can be unfair and unjust at times must work diligently to dismantle it—and that increase of gun violence robs innocent people of their lives and futures every day we are reminded that it is our responsibility to actively address any prejudice or racism that occurs in our spheres of influence we can contribute to the healing and growth within our communities Our prayers and thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragedy We also pray for mental wellness and recovery of the three people who survived the shootings The Office of Counseling and Psychological Services and the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and Campus Ministries are all open for those who want to speak about this weekend’s tragedies An official website of the United States government We at OVC extend our deepest sympathy to the victims of the shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California on Sunday The following resources may be able to help victims and first responders that are assisting them during this difficult time VictimConnect is an OVC-funded service that offers confidential assistance to victims of crime Trained specialists are available to help you locate services in your area Phone: 855-4-VICTIM (855-484-2846)Chat: https://victimconnect.org/get-help/victimconnect-chatDial 711 and VictimConnect staff can provide services through an interpreter in more than 200 languages and to hearing- and speech-impaired individuals The Disaster Distress Helpline funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling crisis support service is available to residents in the United States and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters Call or text the hotline at 800-985-5990 California’s Crime Victims' Compensation Program funded in part through the OVC-administered Crime Victims Fund may help offset a victim’s financial burden related to funeral Following is contact information for this program: California Victim Compensation BoardPhone: 800-777-9229Email: [email protected] The following resources may also be of assistance in the aftermath of this crime Coping With Grief After Community ViolenceThis fact sheet introduces some of the signs of grief and anger after an incident of community violence It provides information about to how to cope with grief and also offers tips for helping grieving children Coping After Terrorism for Injured SurvivorsThis handbook is intended to help victims understand reactions to acts of terrorism and mass violence It also offers tips for helping victims with the coping and grieving process OVC Handbook for Coping After Terrorism: A Guide to Healing and RecoveryThis handbook provides victims of terrorism with information based on the expertise of mental health The handbook is intended to help these victims understand their reactions to an act of terrorism or mass violence OVC Help Series for Crime Victims: HomicideThis OVC brochure provides information on what to expect as a co-victim or survivor of homicide and additional resources for information and assistance Tips for Survivors: Coping With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic EventThis tip sheet contains information about grief and what happens when the process is interrupted and complicated or traumatic grief occurs lists signs of the need for professional mental health and substance use assistance and identifies resources for additional information and support What You Can Do If You Are a Victim of CrimeThis brochure highlights victims' rights and compensation and assistance programs and lists national organizations that help victims to find information or obtain referrals Transcend Mobile App and Other Self-Help this National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center mobile app provides resources and information about common reactions to mass violence and strategies for recovery Users can access tools and activities on calming the body A “Get Help” feature offers contact information for crisis hotlines and other support services Learn more and download the Transcend Mobile App The National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center also has a page providing self-help for survivors Resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides a series of resources that may assist parents and others when speaking with youth and teens The NCTSN also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid Psychological First Aid is an early intervention to support children and families impacted by these types of events Compensation Protocol: A Guide to Responding to Mass Casualty IncidentsThe product of the OVC-funded Mass Casualty Protocol project this manual examines the role of victim compensation programs during a mass casualty incident and describes a strategy for serving victims Complex Homicide Resource for Victim Advocates and AlliesThis report may be used as a resource for victim advocates law enforcement or other allied professionals that participate in existing multidisciplinary teams that respond to homicides Effects of Traumatic Stress After Mass Violence, Terror, or DisasterThis online article from the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) describes the emotional and interpersonal reactions that disaster survivors may experience The article also presents information on risk and protective factors in disaster survivors Field Manual for Mental Health and Human Service Workers in Major DisastersThis Field Manual is intended for mental health workers and other human service providers who assist survivors following a disaster This pocket reference provides the basics of disaster mental health with numerous specific and practical suggestions for workers Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and ResourcesThis toolkit is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to victims of mass violence and terrorism in the most timely The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center also has a dedicated Mass Violence and Terrorism Resource page that contains more than a dozen recorded webinars on topics related to the toolkit mentioned above Incidents of Mass ViolenceThe SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline supports survivors and recovery workers who are affected by incidents of mass violence and other disasters Information on this webpage includes a list of signs of emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence details of lockdown notices and other warnings Media Coverage of Traumatic EventsThis article discusses the potential impact of viewing news coverage of mass violence and terrorism on adults and children It concludes with tips on how to address stress symptoms caused by viewing traumatic events Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field GuideThis guide is intended for service providers and professionals in the mental health field providing the basics in responding to and assisting victims and families during the aftermath of mass violence and terrorism Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: Officer Safety and WellnessThis section of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services website contains resources on protecting law enforcement personnel from the physical and emotional health problems associated with the job Resources on this page include guidance on handling mass casualty incidents building relationships with other first responder agencies Psychological First Aid for First Responders: Tips for Emergency and Disaster Response WorkersThis tip sheet provides first responders with information on how to address people for the first time after a disaster and how to calmly communicate and promote safety Psychological First Aid Field Operations GuideDeveloped by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach for assisting survivors of disaster and terrorism SAMHSA Disaster AppThis mobile app helps responders focus on people in need by providing resources for any type of traumatic event including tip sheets; guides for responders and caregivers; and a directory of behavioral health service providers in the impacted area Key preparedness materials are available and information can be shared with others via text message Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Compassion FatigueDisaster behavioral health response work can be very satisfying but it can also take its toll on disaster responders This fact sheet discusses the causes and signs of compassion fatigue and tips for how to prevent it Tips for First Responders, 5th Edition (supporting victims with disabilities)This booklet offers tips that first responders can use during emergencies to support and communicate with people with disabilities The booklet is divided into sections that focus on older adults and on people with service animals The Vicarious Trauma ToolkitResearch shows that vicarious trauma and a lesser quality of services for victims This OVC toolkit offers guidance to help organizations strengthen their ability to address work-related exposure to trauma National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center Resources The mission of the OVC-funded National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center is to improve community preparedness and the nation’s capacity to serve victims recovering from mass violence through research The Center offers a number of tip sheets for Victim Assistance Professionals supporting those affected by mass violence The Center also provides a Core Compendium for victim service professionals and allied professionals that address Readiness and Resilience relevant to mass violence incidents.  The Planning and Implementation Guide for Comprehensive, Coordinated Victim Assistance for Mass Violence Incident Trials is designed to help prosecutors victim services and mental/ behavioral health providers and allied professionals plan for high-profile trials with a focus on victims’ and survivors’ needs and effective and coordinated strategies to meet them Visit the National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center website for additional resources The mission of the OVC-funded National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center is to improve community preparedness and the Nation’s capacity to serve victims recovering from mass violence through research The following tips sheets are for community and civic leaders rebuilding their communities View additional tip sheets Psychological First Aid: Spiritual Leader and PractitionersThis tip sheet discusses the importance and benefits of Psychological First Aid in faith-based communities and how to reach out to those who need help and provide them with comfort and care Psychological First Aid is an approach that the general public can use to assist others immediately after a disaster The tip sheet discusses how to recognize basic needs help survivors connect with support systems and reinforce strengths and positive coping strategies Picture this — a piece of cardboard on the ground and a person sleeping on it this is not in a far away third world country This is the county of southern California I live in The happy hobo image of homelessness doesn’t exist there were 455 homeless seniors found and interviewed there were also other categories of homeless people found and interviewed But there were more homeless seniors interviewed that night compared to every other category I learned at a United Way Homelessness 101 lecture on homelessness in Orange County that the cure for homelessness is putting people in homes the cost is by far cheaper than the $100,759 spent on each homeless person for the many services they use when they are homeless While non-homeless people have the wrong notion that the homeless in Orange County are recent arrivals because of the warm climate the average person found in the one night survey had been a resident of Orange County for about 10 years There is a tornado of circumstances swirling in Orange County   Even a large percentage of working people can no longer afford to live here because the prices of buying and renting are way beyond normal Along with rising life expectancy into the 80s there is a scarcity of housing in the county in general other expenses are rising beyond an older person’s capacity to increase income my father and I moved to a retirement community then called Leisure World in southern California Neither my dad nor I had enough money to buy our home so we pooled our resources and bought a two bedroom home for $73,500 the range of prices for homes here was perhaps $60,000 to $600,000 But the shared cost concept with a monthly fee allowed all who lived here to share in the clubhouses and then drastically down and down in 2008 And the required monthly fee also increased regularly you can still buy a one bedroom home in the Village for perhaps $155,000 but there are many more homes now above a million dollars If you can’t continue to pay the mortgage or the monthly fee you are eventually forced to leave the Village Certainly not anywhere else in all of Orange County You can become a statistic of homelessness more and more of my aging neighbors are running out of money and fear homelessness Suellen Zima is the founder of Laguna Woods Village YIMBYs in Orange County If you’d like to join this new YIMBY volunteer group Chances are good that by now, you’ve heard the name “Dr. John Cheng.” The Southern California sports physician died Sunday after literally taking the bullet when a gunman opened fire at an Orange County church Cheng’s actions almost certainly saved multiple lives “He was such a servant, and he was such a guy willing to do whatever for his friend,” said Kappa Omega Tau fraternity brother James Runnels (BA ’89 many of the guys said it didn’t surprise them at all that he gave his life protecting others and lived his life like Jesus did — sacrificing for others.” “He really had a heart for the Lord in a way that not any other man that I ever met did, and from a young age,” says Heidy McWhorter (BBA ’93) who attended both Marshall High School and Baylor with Cheng “He was indeed [a] light to the very end — to professional athletes as their official doctor John was a rock star making Christ more famous one person at a time with every genuine caring and kind interaction he had with each person God brought in his path.” “He’s a hero,” says Baylor history professor Stephen Sloan (BBA ’90 It is not a surprise to me that John led the charge to save others but he was sincere in everything that he did The Lord could have been preparing him for this because of the training and hours he has put into self-defense and the artistry in which he pursued that and he was able to use it to protect others.” “You could just tell he was a very loving person,” adds Jinny Henson (BSED ’92) He was born to be a protector and to be a helper.” “I was at lunch [one day] in Penland and pledging Phi Kappa Chi,” recalled Taekuk Cho (BA ’94) as we were two of the only four Asians in the entire Greek system “We spent many sunny Saturdays as sparring partners in Cameron Park some three decades ago,” remembers Dr. Blake Leath (BBA ’92) and always had a smile on his face… yet ‘humility’ is the singular overarching word that comes to mind whenever I think of John the love he put out into the world through his words and deeds and the legacy of light he leaves behind will surely illuminate the futures of everyone who came into contact with this dear man.” Cheng — but I do know Jesus’ words: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) [Update: Some of John’s friends from his time at Baylor are working to fund a BU scholarship in his honor; if you’re interested in joining their efforts, you can make a gift here.] Print When Feng Feng Lee saw a strange man with closely cropped white hair at her church wounding five parishioners and killing a 52-year-old man who had accompanied his mother to church Lee has flashbacks about that day a year ago at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods checking on the injured as they cried out in pain The agonized words from the mother of the man who died charging at the gunman — she did not want her son to be a hero but only to be there with her Shooting survivor Feng Feng Lee speaks at the one-year anniversary of the attack at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Lee can’t shake the guilt that she should have done more “We didn’t prevent the stranger from coming … The bad guy pretended to be one of us,” said Lee who on Sunday attended a gathering at the church to mark the one-year anniversary of the shooting Lee and most of the hundreds of others at Sunday’s commemoration spoke in the Taiwanese dialect, as they typically do during church services. One parishioner wore a yellow hat that read “Yes! Taiwan.” The choir sang “Hometown at Dusk,” a Taiwanese song from the 1950s popular with those living overseas and those supporting an open declaration of the island’s independence some said their belief in God had been shaken but many said that grappling with the tragedy has renewed their faith “I don’t think anyone’s scared,” said Tony Chen Parishioner Jerry Chen helps visually impaired shooting survivor Li-Yen Hong to the lectern during the one-year commemoration (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) David Wenwei Chou has been charged in both state and federal court with murder with prosecutors alleging that he targeted the church because of the congregants’ Taiwanese national origin He pleaded not guilty to the state charges and has yet to make a court appearance in the federal case Chou was born in Taiwan and was from a family with recent roots in China which considers the island democracy part of its territory Chou left notes in his car opposing Taiwanese independence said he is in touch with the mother of John Cheng which makes it hard for him to forgive Chou ‘How am I going to face my daughter-in-law?’ ” Chen wrote in a commemorative book recently published by the church She said she should not have tried to get her son to go to church with her that day Chen wrote: “His hatred for Taiwan and Taiwanese people led him to live in sorrow spoke of the “confusion” of emotions in a recorded video from Taiwan He was being honored at the luncheon last May when Chou began shooting Chang struck Chou with a chair and hogtied him with the help of others Parishioners and members of the Taiwanese community attend the one-year anniversary memorial service (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Another speaker recalled being at a new year’s celebration in Taiwan earlier this year and hearing celebratory firecrackers that reminded her of the shooting “Rain and tears were all together,” Lin said which advocates for Taiwanese independence represented the “true spirit” of the Taiwanese people His bravery truly represents the Taiwanese value of peace-loving,” Chen said The church’s full name is Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, but it rents space from Geneva Presyterian Church in Laguna Woods. A week after the May 15 shooting, parishioners returned to worship and have found solace there ever since. It could have been any Sunday morning at the Taiwanese church. But a week earlier, the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church had been shaken by an unimaginable act. But only last month did they resume their post-service luncheons in the room where the shooting happened — it had been too difficult to share a meal there. Over lunch, they once again spoke of their lives and their families. Attendance at the church has been growing and remains “very healthy,” said pastor Albany Lee. But like many immigrant congregations, the members are aging. Lee wonders how the next generation will reshape the church — perhaps they will speak Mandarin, not Taiwanese. “I cannot foretell the church’s future,” Lee said. “But I will be here for a while.” Special correspondent M. Benson Huang contributed to this report. Welcome Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutLaguna Woods church shooting: Hate crime enhancements added to charges against accused gunmanFriday 2022Hate crime enhancements have been added to the charges against the man accused of opening fire on an Orange County church congregation.LAGUNA WOODS (KABC) -- Hate crime enhancements have been added to the charges against the man accused of opening fire on an Orange County church congregation because of his political hatred for Taiwan is charged with carrying out the mass shooting at a lunch gathering of elderly parishioners at Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods killing a 52-year-old doctor and wounding five others Prosecutors filed an amended complaint this week to add a special circumstance that Chou intentionally killed his victim because of his race and five enhancements of a hate crime for each of the five counts of attempted murder the Orange County district attorney's office said in a Friday statement Chou is also facing four felony counts of possession of an explosive device and felony enhancements of lying in wait and personal discharge of a firearm causing death Authorities have said Chou sat through a church service before attending the luncheon in honor of a former pastor where he mingled with the parishioners for about 40 minutes before chaining and nailing shut exit doors and opening fire Suspect in Orange County church shooting sent diary to newspaper before deadly attack charged Chou and was shot but authorities said he disrupted the attack and may have saved dozens of lives then picked up a chair and threw it at Chou Chang said he rushed at Chou and several congregation members held Chou down and tied him up Chou was armed with two legally purchased 9 mm handguns and concealed bags holding ammunition and four Molotov cocktail-style devices in the church hall where the luncheon was being held The Associated Press contributed to this report Print Most longtime residents of south Orange County remember the globe even if they had never stepped foot inside a place called Leisure World or understood what existed beyond its gates was a great identifier of the community of people older than 55 But Leisure World hasn’t been Leisure World since 2005 when copyright and royalty concerns entered the picture The story of the community now known as Laguna Woods goes back quite a bit further a divided Orange County Board of Supervisors decided to formally explore flying commercial cargo jets out of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station before the Marines were to leave in two years Smith backed the installation of an international airport arguing along with others that the county was losing $4.9 billion annually by having cargo shipped from airports outside the county That money included revenue that goes to other airports taxes and economic activities generated by the airports Some South County residents didn’t understand why John Wayne Airport in fear of being under the flight paths leading to and from a potential new civilian airport in what was then El Toro The groundswell of sentiment against an airport took the form of cityhood initiatives with people thinking that was their best bet for the clout they needed really decided we had to make it an airport fight or we weren’t gonna make it,” former Mayor Ring said about incorporation “Most of the people here couldn’t see the advantages We were really the leaders of the whole airport fight.” Foes of cityhood feared that taxes and fees could go up and that creating a five-member City Council would add another layer of government and politicize the community They also disagreed with revenue projections concluding that 35-year-old Leisure World could support itself as a city The El Toro airport proposal was eventually defeated More than 90% of Laguna Woods is Laguna Village The village is a collection of clubhouses and residential areas and some of the oldest of its 2,584 residential structures are feeling their age The village seems like a city within a city but Laguna Woods City Manager Chris Macon says the relationship is no different from the “thousands of homeowners associations in cities across California.” the village is made up of a number of homeowners associations and the Golden Rainbow Foundation The sprawling village is 2,100 acres with seven clubhouses 10 tennis courts and numerous other amenities It has its own cable system; the Rainbow Foundation owns broadband and closed-circuit television stations though the average age of those moving in is 68 senior public affairs specialist for the village said in explaining the difference in the numbers These are people who aren’t quite ready for assisted living There are no assisted living facilities in the village though such accommodations are located just outside the 14 security gates residents have access to dinner daily at one of two restaurants This compares with $650 elsewhere in the community Some residents busied themselves in the art room creating professional-looking sculptures out of clay and leaving them to dry a sign announced the impending appearances of Lucie Arnaz and Gene Kelly’s wife people lined up with requests for guest passes and ID cards or questions about property-related issues Golf carts are a common mode of transportation Several efforts at incorporating Leisure World had been launched before the Local Agency Formation Commission signed off on the final proposal in 1998 a mere seven years after the first residents moved in neighboring Laguna Beach annexed territory adjacent to Leisure World’s western limits according to the Leisure World Incorporation Report of 1998 the Leisure World governing board hired a consulting firm to prepare a report on alternatives for local governance Leisure World leaders authorized the preparation for incorporation to LAFCO But the financial feasibility study said revenue would not be sufficient to support incorporation many of the commercial developments which did not exist were still in the planning stages,” the Leisure World Incorporation Report said Irvine considered annexing commercial areas along Moulton Parkway 12,000 residents signed petitions in support of the incorporation of Leisure World and some adjacent areas financial feasibility was considered lacking There needed to be “sales tax revenue from adjacent shopping areas,” the key report said an attempt was made to incorporate several communities into a proposed municipality of Saddleback Valley the residents of Laguna Hills filed a application for incorporation that included Leisure World,” the Leisure World Incorporation Report of 1998 said Both Saddleback Valley and Laguna Hills incorporation efforts were defeated at the polls — the Laguna Hills’ effort largely through the “voting strength of the residents of Leisure World.” residents of Laguna Hills were successful in another incorporation attempt that excluded Leisure World the Golden Rain Foundation began to study the incorporation of Leisure World again but took no formal action the preliminary feasibility report was completed It took proponents four weeks to gather the required number of signatures 4,276 signatures were turned over to LAFCO some state help would come in the form of motor vehicle in-lieu fees the formula would change to one based on the actual population of the community The community would still be in the black but the numbers would go down But within the grasp of the pro-cityhood people was what they had sought: more local representation They would have five council members elected within their community rather than one supervisor elected by voters from a much wider area with the effective date requested by proponents of March 24 four bills had been introduced in Sacramento as the fight to repeal or reduce the motor vehicle in-lieu fees took shape cityhood would never look so good again in Orange County There is only one really large unincorporated area in O.C. adding that discussions involving the incorporation of a city there have been going on for the past two years Once Rancho Mission Viejo is completed by 2033 the new development will include about 14,000 housing units and almost 38,000 residents the total population in unincorporated south Orange County is expected to be over 70,000 14 report titled South Orange County Governance Visioning Process “The big question: Is this Orange County’s next and last explaining that any or all these areas could combine But they could also be annexation targets of the nearby cities of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano (Following Laguna Woods down the incorporation path were Rancho Santa Margarita in 2000 as the county’s 33rd city and Aliso Viejo in 2001 as the 34th Also relative babies of incorporation are Mission Viejo (1988) and Laguna Hills and Lake Forest (1991.) ) The development timeline suggests nothing will happen soon “It’s a challenge because incorporations today are not feasible,” she said “It’s very expensive to run a city and provide services to residents of the area What made incorporation feasible when Laguna Woods was incorporated was funding by the state You would get this bump from this revenue that would get you started Debbie Zucco, deborah.zucco@latimes.com Debbie Zucco was the community editor for the Daily Pilot and Weekend The veteran journalist has written and edited for various newspapers including The Press-Enterprise and the Orange County Register and had a two-year freelance assignment with the New York Times Zucco has a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘No one should have to fear going to their place of worship,’ California governor says I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice One person has been killed and five others have been wounded at a shooting at a church in Orange County “We have detained one person and have recovered a weapon that may be involved,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) announced on Twitter on Sunday and four were “critically wounded” and rushed to the hospital The 911 call about the shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church went out at 1.26pm The shooting occured in the city of Laguna Woods an area with a large population of senior citizens Orange County fire officials said they had emergency medical crews on the scene and had transfered multiple people to the hospital The exact circumstances that led to the shooting remain undisclosed The Independent has reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information “We’re trying to figure out what kind of a service was going on at the time.” The shooting occured on the 24000 block of El Toro Road Photos on social media showed three fire engines outside of a church in the area The FBI is assisting with the response at the scene, the Los Angeles Times reported. So is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office also said it was monitoring the incident closely. “No one should have to fear going to their place of worship,” the governor’s office wrote in statement. “Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event.” Cindy Frazier, 65, was out running errands when she heard the sirens of numerous law enforcement officials heading to the church, thinking at first it was a local fire. “I thought it was the fire flaring back up but it was just one after the other,” the Laguna Woods resident told the paper. “It’s just so heartbreaking. Why? Why our community.” The shooting came just a day after 10 people were killed in a white supremacist mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. “This is upsetting and disturbing news, especially less than a day after a mass shooting in Buffalo,” US representative Katie Porter, whose district is nearby, wrote on Twitter on Sundy. “This should not be our new normal. I will work hard to support the victims and their families.” Print Dr John Cheng was known for always putting others first The Orange County sports medicine physician answered text messages from patients on the weekends He was a good listener who spent time during appointments learning about patients’ lives and families And he gave his time and money to high school athletic programs serving as a team doctor for teenage athletes Orange County sheriff’s officials said Monday “He sacrificed himself so others could live,” said Orange County Dist Five others were injured in the shooting, which took place Sunday afternoon at Geneva Presbyterian Church. The parishioners were members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which has been holding services in Geneva’s building for years. David Chou, 68, the suspect in the Laguna Woods church shooting. (Orange County Sheriff’s Department) The suspect, David Wenwei Chou, 68, of Las Vegas, appeared to be motivated by political hatred targeted at the Taiwanese community, Orange County sheriff’s officials said. Among the evidence recovered were notes written in Chinese that Chou left in his car indicating he did not believe Taiwan should be a state independent from China, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said at a news conference. Chou at some point lived in Taiwan before moving to the United States, according to Barnes. The sheriff said it appears Chou had an issue with Taiwanese people because of the way he said he was treated while living there. A police vehicle is at the scene a day after one person was killed and others injured in a shooting at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation into the shooting, said Kristi Johnson, assistant director in charge of the bureau’s Los Angeles office. That would be in addition to any charges filed in Orange County. Chou was arrested Sunday and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Orange County Intake Release Center, jail records show. He was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carrie Braun said he was booked on one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Officials alleged that Chou secured church doors with chains and tried to disable locks with Super Glue. He also attempted to nail at least one door shut, Barnes said. Bags containing magazines of ammunition, as well as four Molotov-cocktail-like incendiary devices, were found at the scene. On Sunday, churchgoers had just finished an after-service lunch — a special bento with teriyaki chicken — in honor of a beloved longtime pastor who had just returned from two years in Taiwan when gunfire erupted. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department says it detained a suspect and a weapon at a church shooting in Laguna Woods based on statements from the witnesses and corroborated by other means Cheng charged the individual — the suspect — [and] attempted to disarm him which allowed other parishioners to then intercede,” Barnes said struck the suspect with a chair when his weapon jammed Other members of the congregation tackled him and hogtied him with an extension cord, a move officials say probably saved many more lives. Louis M. Huang, director general at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, said five of the six victims, including Cheng, held Taiwanese citizenship. The remaining victim was born in the Philippines but spoke Taiwanese, Huang said. The wounded were four men ages 66, 92, 82 and 75, and an 86-year-old woman. They have not yet been identified. The 100 or so members of Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, most of whom are senior citizens, worship in their native language — not Mandarin but Taiwanese, a dialect that was once suppressed by the Kuomintang regime. Before Sunday’s service, members greeted the suspect, whom they had never seen before, and welcomed him. He told them he had attended services several times, but the members were doubtful because no one recognized him, churchgoer Jerry Chen said. Cheng, of Laguna Niguel, was not a regular at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, but the physician had brought his mother to the luncheon honoring the visiting pastor. A gunman attacked a lunch banquet at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods on Sunday, killing one person and wounding five. Here’s what we know. Chang — who served as pastor for 21 years before leaving in 2020 to head a church in Taiwan — said he was close to Cheng’s parents. Cheng’s father recently died, the former pastor said, and his mother, who was still mourning the loss, had stopped coming to church. “Because I was returning, many brothers and sisters invited her to come see us,” Chang said in a written statement in Chinese. “Dr. Cheng is a good son, so he went with his mother. Before the service, we hugged and encouraged each other.” Cheng, who worked for South Coast Medical Group in Aliso Viejo, leaves behind a wife and two teenage children. Cheng was raised in rural east Texas and said he was inspired by his father, a small-town physician who embraced his community and whose community embraced him. In a 2012 YouTube video for South Coast Medical Group, he said he treasured his one-on-one relationships with patients. “We’re planting seeds in this person’s heart and in their mind on how to take care of themselves,” he said. “When they’re taking care of themselves, then they’re able to take care of their family, which creates a more positive family environment, which then translates into better communities.” On Monday, Johnna Gherardini, executive director of South Coast Medical Group, greeted tearful patients at Cheng’s office. “Many people will say he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but I don’t believe so,” she said. “He was at the right place. He has always been giving.” “He was a protector; he taught us how to protect ourselves,” Gherardini said, citing self-defense classes he provided to his staff. Cheng, she said, had reached “sifu” status, a top rank in martial arts. Ira Angustain, Cheng’s pastor at Kingdom Covenant Church in Lake Forest, said the doctor was “always making things easier for others,” and he was “not surprised at all that he jumped to everyone’s rescue.” Angustain said he texted Cheng about his daughter’s cold on Sunday, asking if they could swing by for a checkup on Monday. “It was strange when we didn’t hear back,” he said. “I knew something was off.” Sandra Leone of Aliso Viejo said Cheng had been her family’s primary care physician for 25 years. Leone met him when he was a young doctor. He had set up a booth at the local park, hoping to recruit patients. “I started talking to him and he was so warm, such a good listener,” she said. “We fell in love with his style, and I thought, ‘That’s it. I found my doctor.’ We had moved to the area and we were looking.” Leone’s daughter, then 3, had stomach issues through the years, and “he always carved out time for her, treated her with respect. You don’t meet many doctors like that.” Lauren Mott, the athletic trainer at Aliso Niguel High School, said Cheng was the on-field physician for the school’s football team, the Wolverines, for the last two years. She said he would bring his son, who was interested in sports medicine, to Friday night games. Cheng, she said, was unflappable in emergencies, including a player’s on-field neck injury. “He was very calm in that situation,” she said. “He followed up with the team and with the family. He liked being on the sidelines to take care of the athletes.” Andrew Mashburn, the athletic director at Aliso Niguel High School, said that just last week, Cheng and his team gave physicals to 400 student athletes from that school. “He always had a smile on his face,” Mashburn said. “He was friends with everyone.” After authorities announced it was Cheng who had been killed, a Bible verse was repeatedly shared on social media by those who knew him. It was John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Times staff writers Cindy Chang, Jeong Park, Luke Money, Eric Sondheimer and Richard Winton contributed to this report. Christopher Goffard is an author and a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. He shared in the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for the paper’s Bell coverage and has twice been a Pulitzer finalist for feature writing, in 2007 and 2014. His novel “Snitch Jacket” was a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel. His book “You Will See Fire: A Search for Justice in Kenya,” based on his Times series, was published in 2011. LOS ANGELES — One person is dead and five others were wounded – four critically – after a gunman entered a Southern California church during a Taiwanese congregation's luncheon and opened fire was armed with two handguns when he entered the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods around 1:30 p.m about 45 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles had finished its morning services and congregants were gathered for an afternoon luncheon, Jeff Hallock the Orange County Sheriff's Department said Sunday night The identity of the victim who died has not been released.  LATEST UPDATES: Congregants hogtied gunman to thwart more bloodshed in California church shooting a group of churchgoers pinned the gunman to the ground and hogtied his legs with an extension cord and took his weapons, Hallock said.  "That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery in intervening to stop the suspect," Hallock said "They undoubtedly prevented additional injuries and fatalities." they found the suspect hogtied and took him into custody He was not injured. Hallock said the suspect is not from the area and a motive isn't clear He said authorities are investigating why he targeted the church which was hosting a large Taiwanese congregation at the time and whether it might be considered a hate crime.  Linguists from the FBI were also being called to help in interviewing both witnesses and the suspect.  'WE ARE HURT': Buffalo community mourns after deadly supermarket shooting HOUSTON FLEA MARKET SHOOTING: At least 2 dead, 3 hospitalized in open-air market attack had any connection to the church or its congregation.  About 30 to 40 people were inside the church at the time of the shooting, most of whom were Taiwanese, authorities said. The church hosts the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church for its services Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., the church’s website says.  The afternoon lunch reception was honoring a former pastor of a Taiwanese congregation that has services at Geneva according to a statement from the Presbytery of Los Ranchos “Please keep the leadership of the Taiwanese congregation and Geneva in your prayers as they care for the those traumatized by this shooting,” the presbytery’s Tom Cramer said in a statement on Facebook The mass shooting was the latest high-profile attack to rock the nation this weekend. . On Saturday, 10 people were killed at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo Authorities say the suspect in that attack a white 18-year-old who wore tactical gear and livestreamed his rampage consists of mostly a retirement community with the majority of residents living in the gated community of Laguna Woods Village More than 15,000 of the city’s nearly 18,000 residents live at Laguna Woods Village It became Orange County’s 32nd city when it was incorporated in 1999 82% of residents were ages 65 or older in 2020 The population identifies as 74% white and 21% Asian.  THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY: For an update later tonight, sign up for the Evening Briefing. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Twitter that he is actively monitoring the church shooting and working with local law enforcement.  "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event," his office tweeted.  The incident occurred in an area with a cluster of houses of worship Lutheran and Methodist churches and a Jewish synagogue.  Geneva Presbyterian Church describes its mission as “to remember … Geneva aspires to be an inclusive congregation worshipping It is also directly across from the supermarket that is the prime source of food for a majority of the residents, and it is near a large drug store. Even if the homeless residents would be in “lockdown,” the adjacent facilities that provide necessities to the community can still be frequented by healthcare workers and security guards who may be carriers of the coronavirus. There are several hotels equidistant if not closer to the hospital that surely would suffice. Hundreds, if not thousands, of frail elderly among the 18,000 senior residents need not tremble in greater fear for their lives than they already do. To the editor: Selfish behavior such as this protest against housing homeless people in a hotel to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is outrageous. Note to the protesters: You live in a gated community. Please go back inside your gates and into your own homes and stay there. You risk infecting your newer (and older) neighbors with your non-essential trips to protest. You risk others as you think only of yourselves. Think outside the gates, people. To the editor: I was disappointed to see the fear and outrage displayed by Laguna Woods Village residents regarding temporarily housing homeless people at the nearby Ayres Hotel. I can only assume that the neighborhood Home Depot was out of torches and pitchforks.