51°F
weather icon Clear
Las Vegas, NV
Shootings

Las Vegas man charged with hate crime in California church shooting

David Wenwei Chou appears in court Friday, June 10, 2022, in Santa Ana, Calif. (James Schaeffer ...
David Wenwei Chou appears in court Friday, June 10, 2022, in Santa Ana, Calif. (James Schaeffer/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
More Stories
Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., foll ...
15-year-old kills teacher, student in Wisconsin school shooting; 6 wounded
Man sentenced to life in prison for 2020 shooting spree
Prosecutors to pursue death penalty against man accused of killing wife, stepson
Man killed by police was running down hotel hallway with shotgun, Metro says
The Associated Press
June 17, 2022 - 10:27 am
 

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Prosecutors have accused a Las Vegas man of committing a hate crime by killing one person and wounding five at a mass shooting at a Taiwanese American church luncheon in California.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said Friday that authorities added hate crime allegations to the murder and attempted murder charges filed against 68-year-old David Wenwei Chou.

Authorities have said Chou opened fire on a May lunch gathering of members of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods. A 52-year-old doctor who took his mother to the event was killed.

Authorities have said Chou was motivated by hatred of Taiwan, where he was born and grew up after his family was forced from mainland China when Communists took control.

Chou is expected to be arraigned on Aug. 19. He did not enter a plea at an initial court appearance last month. Messages seeking comment were sent Friday to public defenders listed in the online court record for Chou, who is being held without bail.

MOST READ
Exco Sidebar
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
MORE STORIES
THE LATEST
Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., foll ...
15-year-old kills teacher, student in Wisconsin school shooting; 6 wounded
By Scott Bauer The Associated Press

The female student, who was identified Monday night, also wounded six others at a study hall at Abundant Life Christian School, including two students who were in critical condition, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.