A gunman killed one person and wounded five others at a Taiwanese luncheon in a Laguna Woods church on Sunday, then was tackled by churchgoers who hogtied his legs with extension cords, officials said.
The crowd also managed to take two handguns away from him, said Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock.
“That group of churchgoers displayed what we believe is exceptional heroism and bravery,” Hallock said.
The five wounded – four of them critically – range in age from 66 to 92.
The man’s name was not released Sunday, but Hallock described him as Asian in his 60s, and not believed to live in the area. Any connection to the church wasn’t known.
Dispatchers received a call of a shooting inside Geneva Presbyterian Church at 1:26 p.m., Sheriff’s officials said. The church is located at 24301 El Toro Road.
The Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church was holding a banquet in the church at the time of the shooting.
The lone fatal victim, described only as a man, died inside the church, officials said. The others with critical injuries, all adults, were rushed to local hospitals. A sixth person had minor injuries.
Hallock said the suspect pulled out at least one of his handguns and started firing during the luncheon, when around 30 to 40 people were inside the church.
