A Catholic bishop David O’Connell was shot and killed On Saturday. Catholice bishop was also famous as his other name, “Peacemaker” , shot just nearby the church. This unexpected incident shocked the whole Los Angeles religious community. Keep reading to know more about details.
According to the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department, they investigate the case as homicide. Still it is not confrimed that the bishop was targeted or not. The amazing is that the sheriff’s department also did not proivde any information about the body. The suspect are not captured yet.
Source : Heavy.com
Ireland native O’Connel served 45 years as a priest and passed away at 69, according Angelus News, the archdiocese news outlet. He was rememberd by the Pope Francis among the auxiliry bishops of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Bishop O’Connell spent many years in South Los Angeles and gave more attention to gang intervention. A statement released by the LA’s Archbishop Jose Gomez on Sunday moring as :
We learned early this morning from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office that they have determined that the death of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell yesterday was a homicide. We are deeply disturbed and saddened by this news.
Rober Luna, Los Angeles County Sheriff, twitted about this tragic event. He called this incident “murder” rather than homocide. Sheriff Wrote :
“My heart grieves after learning of the murder of Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell. He lovingly served as a priest and Bishop in Los Angeles County for forty-five years,”
“deputies responded to the location regarding a medical emergency call. They discovered a male adult suffering from a gunshot wound when they arrived. Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene.”
O’Connell had died due to unknown reasons; The Archdiocese of Los Angeles initially provides this news. Many of local news reported that bishop was a victim of gunshoot. Around all these unauthorised news, the Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s office released a report and informed that on Saturday aftrnoon near bishop’s residence a unknown gunshot victim died.
Source : NPR
But the Sheriff’s Department public information officers has declined to confirm that bishop was the victim of violence. But Luna’s tweet confirmed that the victiam was bishop O’Connell.
People are pouring tributes to bishop O’Connell
Karen Fortson Davis
A tragedy. More persecution will come to Christians as we step out and raise our voices against this evil and darkness invading our Country. However we as believers already know how this story ends. Stay strong, stay faithful, hold the line and speak the truth of The Gospel in the spirit of Love and Christ likeness.
Brynn Fisher
He was a good man and said mass at my church. God bless him and the all his family and friends
Bran Dy
He was an amazing man. Blessed to have known him in my youth. He was the type of person/priest we should all aspire to be like. He truly lived a life of deep faith and pure love. His light will be missed here on earth.
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