An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana May 10 charged the man who opened fire, killing a prominent Orange County doctor and injuring five others, last May at the Laguna Woods Geneva Presbyterian Church with 98 federal hate crimes.
If convicted, David Chou, 69, of Las Vegas, faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison without the possibility of parole, the Department of Justice announced in a news release May 11.
Chou—a Chinese immigrant and U.S. Citizen—killed John Cheng, 52, and attempted to kill 44 others, according to the indictment.
A photo of the suspect in the May 15, 2022, Laguna Woods church shooting, David Chou, 68, of Las Vegas. (Courtesy of Orange County Sheriff’s Department)
“Chou allegedly acted because of the victims’ national origin and religion, and he intentionally obstructed the victims’ religious exercise,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office….